


The Bitter Hug of Mortality

by Meh_forget_it



Series: Song of Myself Series [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, Different Boy Who Lived, Drama, Humour, M/M, Major Character Deaths (of a sort), Necromancer!Harry, Pagan Festivals, Rituals, Slightly insane!Harry, The Old Gods - Freeform, squib!Harry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-02
Updated: 2017-05-24
Packaged: 2018-02-07 04:18:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 144,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1884870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meh_forget_it/pseuds/Meh_forget_it
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry is the younger brother of the Boy Who Lived and is a little strange. He hears voices no one else can hear, he knows things no one else should know and he's just this side of crazy. Oh, and everyone thinks he's a squib. When it comes to Harry, however, all bets are off and nothing is entirely certain.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> **Warnings** : Slash (if you don't like it, don't read it), blasphemy, adult language, scenes of torture, war and death.  
>  **Disclaimer** : I don't own any of this. Shocking, I know, but there you have it.

Prologue

Many years ago, there were three very different and unusual brothers with a strange talent. They all had the ability to commune with Death. They found they could talk with those that had already died. They could control any corpses that they brought out of the ground. Ghosts were solid to the touch to them and they could walk with spectres of the deceased when walking through cemeteries. 

These brothers were called the Peverell's and were a well known family in the somewhat secluded and secret wizarding society. They were a prestigious, influential and rich family of purebloods but even in a world where magic was the norm and everyone could do incredible things, being able to hear the secrets of the deceased and control dead bodies was not something anyone else could do and so the Peverell brothers were revered and envied for their skills, but also feared. 

However, there were those in the wizarding world who wanted to know the secrets of the Peverell's powers. They wanted the gifts they had supposedly been given by Death itself. So they plotted and they planned on how to gain those powers. But there are no secrets kept from the dead and the Peverell's were informed of the plot to gain their secrets. 

What no one knew or even suspected was that their gift wasn't connected to the 'gifts' Death had given them. But those trinkets did have a purpose of their own and they knew it was only a matter of time before they lost them. So they made their own plan. 

Only, they didn't make the plan in time. Before they could implement it, the oldest brother and owner of the Elder wand was murdered in his sleep. The wand disappearing along with his killer. 

With the whispers of their brother in their ears, they decided to call upon the one who had given them their gifts. He had to know what was happening in the wizarding world. He had to know that there were people who wanted to have the supposed power over Him. 

So He was called. 

And a new plan was made. 

No one would ever know their secrets or how they did what they did. No one would ever know the secrets of the dead again until one that Death found worthy of His gifts was born from the Peverell bloodline once more. 

And so the remaining two brothers died. Leaving only a fairy tale and myth behind them. 

And the secret to talk with the dead died with them. 

Until another was finally born from the Peverell line with the ability and there was a necromancer once more in the world. 

Shame no one knew what a necromancer was.


	2. Chapter One

Chapter One

James hitched his fifteen month old son, Charlus, in his arms as he paced in the corridor outside of the hospital room his wife was currently giving birth in. His best friends, Sirius and Remus were watching his pacing with amusement, though all three men flinched a little when Lily gave another pained yell.

"Is it supposed to be taking this long? It didn't take this long with Charlie. Do you think something is wrong? What if something is wrong?" James asked, smiling weakly at Charlus when the boy babbled wordlessly and patted his face.

"I'm sure it's fine. They would have told you if there was something wrong, James," Remus told him soothingly, though all three men glanced at the door when there was another almighty yell and then an ominous silence.

Just before James could go into a panic and storm the room to find out what had happened, they all heard the sound of a baby crying.

"I should go in there. Sirius, hold Charlie for me, would you? We'll call you in when Lily says it's okay!" James said, handing his son to Sirius before he ran into the hospital room.

As soon as he entered, he saw his beautiful wife holding their newest child in her arms, a wide smile on her face when she saw James standing in the doorway.

"James! Come meet your youngest son, Harry," Lily said, shifting slightly so that James could see a curl of jet black hair and pink skin.

"A son? I have another son? He's so cute!" James gushed, hurrying over and gently taking Harry out of Lily's arms. He smiled widely before frowning when Harry's eyes blinked open and he blearily looked in James' direction. "Is there… is there something wrong with his eyes?"

With that question, there was a flurry of healers and nurses entering the room, and James and Lily only able to sit there and watch as their son was examined by seemingly every healer in the hospital. After what felt like a lifetime where they knew nothing and could only hope their son was okay, the head healer walked over to the bed Lily was lying in and cleared his throat, gaining their attention.

"Lord and Lady Potter-"

"What's wrong? Is there something wrong with Harry? Is he going to be okay?" Lily asked urgently, not letting the healer actually tell them what he knew.

"There is something wrong with Harry's eyes, like Lord Potter thought. I'm sorry to have to tell you, but your son has aniridia, which means that he has no iris. Now, we can't tell you how this will affect him as he grows up, but we can tell you that he will be photophobic."

"What does that mean?"

"He won't be able to take in lots of light so make sure he's kept in low-light rooms and as he gets older, you'll need to make him wear sunglasses and hats whenever he's outside. Sadly though, this is also a sign of something else."

"What do you mean? There's something else wrong with him?" James asked, looking over the healer's shoulder to where a nurse was holding Harry.

"Yes, well, with degenerative diseases such as these, they are generally a sign of something else. You see, our magic makes us immune to most muggle genetic illnesses and so when a child is born with one… I'm afraid to tell you, Lord and Lady Potter, but your son being born with aniridia is a sign that he may be a squib."

* * *

 

The next year, it was safe to say, was full of strife and stress. Not only had they been told that their youngest son was possibly a squib and could also go blind if put into bright light, but their oldest son was the target of the current Dark Lord and had forced the four Potter's to go into hiding.

On Harry's first birthday, everything came to a head and the Potter's were betrayed to Lord Voldemort. It just so happened however, that both Lily and James had had to leave their sons with a babysitter - and given Peter was the only one who knew where they lived, they had to trust him with their sons - as they had to meet with Dumbledore to discuss their youngest son's future as it had been confirmed the month before that he was indeed a squib.

The Potter parents had only been gone for thirty minutes when Peter, who was getting a little freaked out by the youngest Potter as he kept staring at Peter like he knew what he was going to do, gave a small shuddering sigh and jumped up to open the front door.

"M-master." Peter moved aside to allow a tall, serpentine looking man with bright red eyes and a malevolent aura enter the house. The man just sneered at Peter and walked into the hallway, pausing in front of the living room, where the two Potter children were playing.

Well, Charlus was playing. Harry seemed to be just listening to something only he could hear and freaking out Peter.

"Pettigrew. I assume the two older Potters are away?"

"Y-yes, master."

"Well done. Unfortunately, I have no need for someone who will be as wanted as you will soon be. _Avada Kedavra_ ," Voldemort watched emotionlessly as Pettigrew's body dropped to the floor, the horrified expression frozen on his face in death. Without giving his now dead follower a second thought, Voldemort pushed the door to the living room open and stepped inside, pausing when he noticed both young Potters sitting in a large play pen.

Both boys stopped what they were doing when Voldemort entered the room and turned to look at him, the youngest shakily stood on his legs and toddled over to lean on the side of the pen nearest to Voldemort. Voldemort stared at the small child and gave a small thought as to why the boy had a pair of dark sunglasses on before he turned his attention to the prophecy child, Charlus Potter.

"Ba, Wormy!" Voldemort glanced at the younger child, a child Pettigrew had told him was a squib, and frowned when he noticed the child was now pouting at something only he could see, and Voldemort suddenly felt a shiver run up his spine. There was something very wrong with that child.

"Charlus Potter. It is said you will be my downfall. Shame I got to you before you could really grow into your power. Still, I'm not heartless, I'll leave your squib brother alive," Voldemort muttered with another wary glance at the supposed squib who was now babbling at something else he could only see and was paying no attention at all to his brothers soon to be demise. "Perhaps you could have grown to be something incredible. Shame I can't allow that to happen. _Avada Kedavra!_ "

It happened in a matter of seconds, so fast that Voldemort barely managed to grasp what had happened, but just as he uttered the words that would kill Charlus, the younger of the two gave a delighted scream and reached for the green light. However, he was too small and too slow, and the spell hit Charlus' forehead, making the older toddler scream in pain. Unfortunately for Voldemort, that wasn't the end of it as the spell suddenly rebounded, Harry giggling and clapping happily over his brother's wails of pain and the sudden scream of rage and pain that Voldemort gave as his rebounded spell hit him and made his body disintegrate. His soul lingered just long enough for him to hear the strange Potter child's parting words before he fled the scene.

"Ba ba, Tom!"

* * *

 

"Harry! Harry, baby, come here. We need to go to Diagon Alley, honey, so I need to put on your hat and glasses," Lily said to her youngest son, who was currently sitting facing the corner in the family library seemingly whispering to himself.

After that night, where their little Charlie had defeated Lord Voldemort and almost destroyed their house in the backlash of magic, they had decided to move away from the bad memories and move into the ancestral Potter Manor - a place James hadn't originally wanted to live in as he'd claimed it was too large for their small family. Though when Sirius and Remus had both said they would move in with them as live-in babysitters, they had all thought it would be the best plan.

So now, five years down the line, the four Potters and the two godfathers of their children were all happily living in the Potter Manor, and Lily couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt whenever she saw her beautiful little baby boy. Her baby boy that was unlucky enough to have been born magicless in a family of powerful wizards.

Of course, Lily tried to treat him the same as she treated her other children, herself and James having been blessed with a pair of twin girls - Rose and Dahlia - two years ago, but there was a small voice in the back of her head that whispered that there was something very wrong with Harry. And it wasn't the fact that he could possibly go blind if he went outside without sunglasses and a hat on.

Harry was very quiet for a six year old. He preferred his own company and was very soft spoken. He was a beautiful little boy, with milky white skin and jet black hair that, thankfully, wasn't cursed with the Potter crows nest mess. His eyes, when they weren't hidden behind dark glasses, made a shiver go up her spine though. The fathomless black depths always seemed too old for the baby face they were set in and she was sure he knew things no child should ever know.

Despite all this though, Lily loved him just as much as she loved her other children and perhaps deep deep down, she favoured him a tiny bit. But she couldn't help but fear she was being cruel to him by keeping him in a world he couldn't truly be a part of. She wondered if her friends were right and it would be kinder to just give him away.

"Mummy? Cad said to embrace Charlus' skill with snakes. He said it would be silly to fear it," Harry told her quietly, standing there placidly as Lily knelt in front of him to place his darker sunglasses on and a small sun hat on his head.

That was another thing that made Lily wonder about her little boy. He knew things that no one else knew about before they happened. And he had, imaginary friends was the only term she could think of that fit best and even then it didn't seem right. However, Harry spoke of these people like they were real and they apparently told him things that helped both herself and James at times. She wondered what was going to happen that day with Charlie that Harry seemed important to prepare them for. Or 'Cad' had at least.

"Okay, honey. You know we'd never fear anything you or your siblings could do, right? Come on then, baby boy, let's get to the floo room, hopefully Daddy, uncle Padfoot and uncle Moony have managed to get your brother and sisters ready, hmm?" Lily said with a smile as she picked up her tiny - because he really was and Lily was beginning to worry about his growth development as well now - son and carried him to the floo room. She gave a small sigh of relief when she saw that her husband and their friends had indeed managed to corral their kids together in time, and with a small warning for Harry to hold his breath, she flooed them both to the leaky Cauldron.

* * *

 

Hearing her oldest child hissing at a small snake in the petshop made Lily feel like someone had injected liquid ice into her veins and she couldn't help but think back to the almost whispered warning Harry had given her. Somehow he had known that Charlus was a parselmouth and it would possibly be discovered that day. However, she also remembered that she had told Harry she wouldn't fear any talent they had and seeing Harry standing next to his big brother, watching her with a wary air about him, she realised this would show him whether she meant what she said or not.

So, taking a deep breath and looking around to make sure that no one else was paying attention - just because she wasn't going to fear it, didn't mean the rest of the wizarding world wouldn't vilify her son for it - Lily walked over to her two sons and knelt down next to them so she was at a similar height to them.

"Have you made a friend, sweetie?" Lily asked quietly, looking at Charlus who was looking from Harry to her with a mix of guilt and fear on his face.

"Cad said you should get Charlus the snake. He said it'll help. Charlus, you should get the black snake. He'll help you," Harry added with a small nod, getting a mirroring nod from his older brother, who carefully stepped passed Harry an stood in front of a tank with a small jet black snake in it.

"Are you sure about this, Harry? Charlus? Do you think you'll be able to look after him? He'll be your responsibility," Lily said, not entirely sure about the whole thing but then, Harry had never set her wrong yet. And yes, she was well aware of the absolute insanity of taking advice from a six year old boy.

"Harry said that Cad said I should! Cad knows, mummy! I promise to look after him! Honest!"

"Okay then, sweetie. Is there anything in here that you'd like, Harry? I think you're old enough for a pet as well, if you want one."

"No. I'll get one when I'm older. Cass says I'll need one to stay in touch," Harry whispered, his attention once more on something just over Lily's shoulder and no longer on her. Lily couldn't help but feel a small sense of foreboding in those words.

In fact, it was only James insisting that there'd never been a seer in the Potter family and the talent generally didn't show in squibs that put Lily's fears that her son had the curse of foresight to rest. She was still adamant that there was something unusual about Harry though, she just didn't know what.

* * *

 

As the years passed and it came nearer and nearer to the time when Harry wouldn't get the letter every wizarding child excitedly waited for the night before their eleventh birthday, Lily found herself spending more and more time with Harry. Though admittedly, they weren't always doing anything together. In fact, Harry loved to just sit silently in the library, leaning against Lily's legs as she read - sometimes aloud and sometimes to herself - and Lily would admit that perhaps she was showing that Harry was her favourite. Not that she didn't love all her children, just Harry was special.

Plus, she knew that Harry would one day be sent away from her and she'd possibly never see him again. James, Sirius and Remus all already distanced themselves from Harry. It pained Lily to see that James clearly no longer saw Harry as his son. That Remus no longer viewed Harry as his cub and godson. The only bright side that Lily could see was that it didn't seem to affect Harry. If anything, he seemed to have expected it to happen.

As Harry's eleventh birthday loomed ever nearer, as they all waved Charlus off for his first year, and then second year at Hogwarts, all knowing that Harry wouldn't be going, Lily felt fear rising in her throat. The time she'd have to give up her baby was getting closer and closer, and there was nothing she could do about it.

She knew James was a pureblood and had been raised as one, as much as he didn't show the same prejudices that many purebloods did and that he didn't seem to follow the old ways, Lily knew James had the same view on squibs that every pureblood did. They were worthless and a blight on the family tree. And they were to be sent away as soon as possible. By their eleventh birthday at the latest.

So, Lily made sure she spent as much time with Harry as possible, teaching him and the twins - because it was just practical to teach her daughters at the same time - all the muggle subjects she could think of that she had some basic knowledge of and buying Harry any books she could think of that would help him. She felt a burst of pride every time Harry breezed through a subject until he surpassed what she could teach him.

And then, by the end of the October of Harry's eleventh year, Lily at least felt assured that she had taught Harry everything he would need so he wouldn't be behind in the muggle world. Now she just had to wait for the time James brought up the inevitable.

* * *

 

"Lily, I know you don't want to hear it, but we've got to discuss what to do with Harry. It isn't fair to keep him in our world anymore. His Hogwart's letter never came and in three years time he'll be forced to watch his sisters go to a school he'll never be able to go to as well. Lils, I think… I think we're being cruel to him, forcing him to live surrounded by something he'll never be able to use." Lily closed her eyes in despair as she listened to James, aware that what he said was the truth. However, she didn't want to abandon her baby. She just knew that her little boy wasn't like other muggles and squibs and he wouldn't be accepted in that world either.

"I know what you're saying, James, but he's my baby."

"I know, Lils. He's my son too, you know? But every day we thoughtlessly use magic in front of him, taunting him with something he can't use. And his siblings will all soon be going to a school he can't go to. Getting jobs in a world he won't be accepted in. He can't stay here, Lils."

"I can't give up my baby, James."

"What then? We can't keep him here! It's not fair!"

"I… I know."

"Good. So we can just… Dumbledore told me of a couple of nice orphanages that would take him in. Apparently they're both run by squibs and are where families tend to leave any squibs born in their family. They'll take him in and… and teach him what he'll need to know to succeed as a muggle-"

"No."

"Lils! You just agreed to give him up!" James said, exasperation clear in his tone.

"No, I never. I said we can't keep him in the magical world, I said nothing about just abandoning him and making him feel as though we don't want him anymore."

"Than what, Lils? What other option do we have? Your sister? She hates you and she'll hate Harry too!"

"I know! I wasn't even considering Petunia. However, I have an aunt. Well, she's my great-aunt actually, but we've kept in touch. She was the only one outside of Pet and my parents that knew I was a witch. She claimed she always knew. Anyway, I can contact her and ask her if she'll let Harry live with her. That way… that way, I can still keep in touch with him and he'll still be my son."

"If you're sure, Lily."

"I am. Aunty Sylv will take good care of him and this way he'll be able to stay in touch with us. Obviously we'll have to set up a monthly stipend to pay her so she and Harry can comfortably live without having to worry about money. I'll contact her in the morning and then we'll have our answer."

"And if she can't take him in?"

"Well… then I guess we'll have to leave him in one of the orphanages Dumbledore recommended," Lily whispered, frowning as she thought of her old headmaster. She didn't trust him. He'd been trying to convince her to get rid of Harry since they'd learnt he was a squib and he was far too interested in Charlus for her comfort. However James near idolised the man and wouldn't hear anything against him. She prayed that her aunt would be able to take Harry in, that way at least one of her children were out of that man's grasp.

* * *

 

A week later and the day Lily had dreaded had arrived. Thankfully her aunt had come through and had said she would be delighted to take Harry in. Even when Lily had told her of Harry's medical issues. In fact, Sylv had almost demanded that she leave Harry with her, reassuring Lily that she'd love her son like he was her own.

So here Lily was, all Harry's clothes and belongings in a couple of trunks, shrunk in her pocket, and Harry held tightly on her hip as she apparated to her great aunt's house. She reluctantly knocked on the door, glancing at Harry - who was silent as usual and gave off a solemn aura - before turning back to the door when it opened and a short, thin lady in her sixties with dyed light blonde hair and kind pale blue eyes stood there, smiling widely at them.

"Lily! And this must be little Harry! Come in, both of you! Would you like something to drink?" Sylv asked, leading them through the small cottage, into the front room, motioning for them to take a seat.

"A glass of water for us both would be great, thanks Aunty Sylv," Lily said, taking a seat on a comfortable two seater faux leather sofa and shifting so that Harry could disentangle himself from her and take the seat next to her. "You okay, honey?"

"Yes. Will Erebus get here soon?" Harry asked quietly, shifting closer to Lily even as he twisted to look at the window behind them as though looking for the owl Lily had bought him two days before.

"I don't know, honey, but I shouldn't think it'll take him too long to get here. And you know to use him to send us letters, okay? I want to hear about everything you do," Lily told him, smiling sadly when he just nodded silently and twisted back around to sit properly as Sylv walked into the room with a tray in her hands.

"So, you two! Given there's only about a month of term left in school, I spoke to the headmaster of the local primary school and he was happy to interview Harry and hopefully get him started in the spring term, in January. I also spoke to him about Harry's disability, but he said it was nothing to worry about and he'd speak to Harry's teacher about any needs Harry might have," Sylv told them after they'd got the pleasantries out of the way and had finished getting caught up about random and senseless things.

"Is it a good school, do you know?"

"It is. And there are a couple of secondary schools nearby that he'll be going to next year, each of them having good ofsted reports. One is a private school that you can test to get in to, but we can cross that bridge when we get there. Of course you'll be free to visit any time you like, unless we're away, and I'll teach Harry the ropes of my bakery. Maybe teach you how to bake, hmm, Harry?"

"Ant says that would be fun," Harry quietly said with a small smile before looking away once more at something in the corner of the room. Lily just glanced from him to Sylv with a small, slightly strained smile on her face.

"Harry, baby, why don't you go look at your room? I just want to talk to Aunty Sylv about something, then we'll come up with your things, okay?" Lily asked him, smiling when Harry just turned to look at her and then nodded.

"It's the room on the left at the top of the stairs. It's currently light green, but we can redecorate it to your liking next week, okay?" Sylv told him, getting another nod from Harry before he left the room quietly.

Lily waited until she could hear Harry's quiet steps up the stairs before she turned to Sylv, who was staring at her, waiting for whatever it was Lily wanted to talk about.

"Harry's… he's not like any other child I know. He's quiet and he… he knows things that no one should be able to know. If it was possible, I'd say he was a seer, but it's not. Plus he doesn't show any other signs. I just… I worry about him. I know he'll be fine, but I swear he sees things and hears things that aren't there. And he talks about people I've never met and I know Harry can't have met. I wonder if they're imaginary, but then they seemingly tell him things he can't know about. I know everyone says he's just a squib and I'm well aware that James has brushed his hands of him, but deep down, I know there's something about Harry. I don't… I don't think he's human," Lily admitted for the first time, finally just letting out all of her fears and thoughts about her youngest son, and hoping she didn't just come across as totally insane.

"Lily… what do you mean?"

"He's not a squib. I don't care what anyone says, but I know he's not. I just don't think he has magic like I do. You'll see what I mean as you get to know him, but Harry has this aura to him that screams of creature inheritance. I got the goblins to secretly look into the Potter family tree for me, for any possible creatures that maybe Harry could have inherited the blood of, but they couldn't tell me anything. Apparently the Potter's changed their name from something else several generations ago, but the goblins don't know what it was. Just, will you treat him like he's normal? Don't make him feel like he's a freak or something, please?"

"You know I wouldn't do that, Lily. Now, what do you mean you did this secretly? What's going on with James?"

"He's a pureblood. Purebloods wipe their hands of squibs. Harry's lucky that I forbade James from disinheriting him and striking him from the family tree. I told James that I'd leave him and take the kids with me if he did that, so Harry will still have a vault of money in Gringotts if he ever needs it. Oh, I've set up a monthly payment of two thousand pounds, but if you need more for anything at all, then just let me know and I'll transfer it to you!"

"Lily, that'll be more than enough. In fact, I'll probably set up a savings account and put the excess in there for Harry to use when he's a bit older. I'm guessing, from what you just said, that James won't be visiting with you at all."

"No. I think he was relieved when it was finally time for Harry to leave. Honestly, I'm relieved, but only because it means Dumbledore won't be able to control one of my children. The other three, I fear for. Luckily, Dumbledore doesn't know anything about you and James wasn't interested enough to find anything out, so he won't be able to find you."

"Why would that be a worry?"

"Dumbledore is… he's very influential in the wizarding world and sadly, he's seen as some sort of second coming. He can do no wrong and everyone turns a blind eye to his faults. And let me be honest, he has many faults. He's controlling and he likes that everyone views him as the Light Lord. I fear for my oldest because Dumbledore is far too interested in him and I'm worried that he sees Charlie as his weapon in any upcoming war. I'm scared about my little girls when they go to Hogwarts and the only relief I've got is that Harry is away from any influence."

"I assume James sees Dumbledore as faultless?"

"You assume right."

"Well, I'll keep Harry as safe as I can and I'll raise him to not suffer any fools, don't you worry about that. And of course, you can bring your other children here every summer to get them away from that mans influence, if only for a few days a year."

"That's true. Thank you for this, Aunty Sylv. I don't know what I would have done if you weren't able to take him in," Lily admitted in a quiet voice, glancing over at the door Harry had left through as she felt a stab of fear that he'd be taken away from her.

"I'll treat him like he's my own, Lily, have no fear there."

"When he's seventeen… traditionally, wizards and witches come into a sort of inheritance on their seventeenth birthday where their magical core increases and those that have dominant creature blood in their veins will transform, so to speak. On his seventeenth, I think whatever he is will come to light. If, for whatever reason I can't be here, can you just make sure he's safe in his room and don't let anyone in there, okay? And if it's a physical change, then either send me an owl so I can put a glamour on him or owl the goblins and they'll know what to do. Keep him safe, Aunty Sylv. I'm no seer, but I have a feeling deep inside that he's special. And I'm scared for him."

"I'll keep him safe, Lily. And I'll make sure he knows you did what you could to protect him. Whatever happens, I'll try to make sure he's prepared for it however I can."

"Thank you. We'd better head up to Harry now as I'll need to leave soon. I don't trust Sirius not to burn down the house, especially when he's alone with the twins."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N - Aniridia is indeed an ailment that means you are born without an iris. It can lead to several degenerative eye problems, such as long/short-sightedness, blindness, cataracts and other things, but in Harry's case, as you may have picked up on, it isn't aniridia in the muggle sense of the term. It's also a sign of a necromancer, but seeing as the Peverell brothers were the last known necromancers and all information has since vanished, then no one knows this.
> 
> Also, contrary to many fanfics, the average height of a male in Britain is about five foot nine (I think, it might be taller now, but it was certainly nearer that in the late nineties). Harry is, admittedly, shorter than that and he won't grow taller than five foot four. However, this doesn't make him a freak and it's actually quite a normal height. My dad was only five foot four for example. You'll later learn a bit more about necromancers and find this is also a normal height for them. So no reviews about how Harry's freakishly small. Or about how I'm making him small so he'll be the submissive/bottom in a slash relationship. FYI, I could make Harry eight foot and he'd still be the bottom in a relationship. That's how I write him. Being short does not make you meek and mild. Like I said, my dad was five foot four and he was anything but meek and mild. He was a black belt in karate, a weapons master and Scottish. Enough said. XD So yeah, just heading off any whiny reviews about Harry's height. They're boring and I really have better things to do than read them. Cheers!
> 
> Next chapter there'll be a big time jump to where Harry's an adult. I'm not going to write his school years because he'll be going to a muggle school and I think we all spent enough years there to get a basic idea of what he went through.
> 
> Oh, not sure when I'll have the next chapter up. It's already written but I'm off to London tomorrow (going to see Monty Python!) and I also don't have the internet at my house (I'm currently using my mums). It shouldn't be too long, hopefully, but I thought I'd give you a heads up!


	3. Chapter Two

**Before this chapter starts, I'd just like to say that a) judging by reviews, this is totally not going to be what you expect and b) you need to just forget all your preconceptions about necromancers. In this, a necromancer is a whole different species. Literally. :)**

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Chapter Two

It was five thirty in the morning and Harry sleepily stumbled to turn on the ovens in the kitchen of his little bakery that his great aunt and guardian had left to him in her will two years previously. Harry had been a little sad when she'd died, but he'd soon perked up as he knew it wasn't like he'd never see or hear from her again. In fact, she was still as bossy as ever even in death.

Harry loved his little bakery, and sure it didn't have many customers in the small town - which was more a village, but according to Mr Shilatoh, had too large a population to be called one - of Little Hangleton. A town where pretty much everyone knew everyone else, and thankfully everyone loved the little bakery Harry owned. It probably helped that it was the only one in town but Harry like to think it was also his amazing baking skills.

Quickly putting in several different types of bread to bake, he'd made the dough the night before and left to temper, and then setting up everything on the side that he'd need to make all the cakes he would hopefully sell that day, Harry took a glance at the clock, obsidian beads tied in his hair clicking as he moved, and then slumped a little as the late night he'd foolishly had caught up with him.

_"Told you that you should have gone to bed, daft beggar. Now, don't forget Mrs Lovage will be coming in today to discuss making her monthly cake for the WI meeting, so make sure you have some strawberry tarts ready for her to demolish."_

"Yes, Aunty Sylv," Harry mumbled, quickly grabbing the hair band he kept by the sink and putting it on to keep his hair out of his face and out of the food, then putting a white sun cap on over that.

_"I've told you that it should be black. It ruins the whole thing. You should only be wearing black! I swear, kids these days. Do you ever listen to me?"_

"I always listen to you, Uncle Ignotus," Harry mumbled, carefully weighing out the ingredients he'd need to make the first batch of cupcakes.

If anyone was observing what was happening in the kitchen of the small and only bakery in Little Hangleton, they would have been both confused and probably a little disturbed, because Harry was alone and yet was seemingly having a conversation with someone only he could see.

Everyone in the small town was aware that Harry was odd, but then so were a lot of people in the town and no one had yet come to the heights of weirdness that an old family called the Gaunts had reached, so no one there really said anything about it. It helped that everyone liked the young man and felt slightly protective of him due to thinking he was possibly a little unhinged. His added disability also helped to endear him to the kinder-hearted samaritans of Little Hangleton.

Harry came across as completely helpless and harmless, at only five foot three with pale white skin that told anyone who met him that he didn't go out in the sun all too much. He had jet black hair that was cut into shoulder length bob reminiscent of the egyptians, that also had small obsidian beans knotted into randomly placed strands of hair. A hair style that was traditional for his kind according to Uncle Ignotus. He also always wore black clothing, another tradition apparently. All of this tied together with his soft spoken voice and his disability making him photophobic just made him all together unthreatening and seemingly screaming out for someone to look after him.

Of course, if you were to ask Harry's opinion, he'd laugh in your face - in a gentle, quiet way - and then carry on with his conversation with someone only he could see.

The truth of the matter was that Harry was far from defenceless and if people knew what he was, they'd be terrified of him. Which is why he was quite happy for anyone who met him to think he was a defenceless muggle baker.

He was, in fact, a necromancer. Someone who had death in their veins according to Uncle Antioch, though Harry always thought that man was a little too dramatic for his own good. Really, his demise shouldn't have shocked anyone.

_"Make sure you put that in the freezer for a few minutes before adding the orange juice. You know it makes a better pastry that way,"_

"Aunty Sylv, I've been doing this for the last four years. I graduated from culinary school two years early! Come on, can't you trust me just a little?"

 _"No. Besides, you cheated."_  Harry sighed at the blunt answer from his very blunt aunt and her observation. He hadn't cheated, he'd just… asked for help. Admittedly, the help was from dead professors, teachers and chefs, but it was just the same as asking for help from the living. And sure he loved her, but he wondered how he had ever survived being raised by someone who didn't hold their punches.

The next two hours passed fairly smoothly as Harry baked everything he would need for that day, shamelessly using the advantage of speaking with the dead and thus the departed relatives of anyone who might be visiting that day to make sure that he had their favourites on display, and eventually, as it turned eight in the morning, Harry unlocked the front doors and took a seat behind the counter, absently listening to the chatter of the dead, and chuckling occasionally when someone said something amusing.

As the morning passed, the regulars that Harry had been expecting slowly trickled in at random intervals, each one telling him different bits of gossip that they'd overheard and being overjoyed when Harry told them his own pieces of gossip  _he'd_  overheard - admittedly from dead people - and then Mrs Lovage came in with her extravagant bright purple hat that had a possibly real dead animal wrapped around it. What animal it was, Harry couldn't tell you, but it was certainly fascinating and Harry found it hard to take his eyes away from it whenever she entered the shop.

"Hello, Mrs Lovage! I made some strawberry tarts today thinking of you, it must be fate! I used fresh strawberries from my garden picked early this morning! Would you like one?" Harry asked her cheerfully as soon as she walked in the door.

"Oh, Harry, you are a dear. I'll take one and a nice cup of milky tea, then we can discuss what cake I'd like you to make for me this month if that's okay?" Mrs Lovage asked him with a wide smile that showed Harry her pink lipstick stained teeth - teeth he was pretty sure weren't real but Mr Lovage refused to actually say for fear Mrs Lovage would find out when she died and make his afterlife a living hell… so to speak.

 _"Don't forget to use soya milk. I love her dearly, but there was many a night I wished we had separate beds when she'd had cows milk._  Harry felt his lips twitching in amusement as he quickly turned his back on Mrs Lovage to make her tea.

"I'll just have your tea ready in a minute. If you'd like to take a seat at your regular table, I'll be over with the tea and tart then we can discuss ideas you've had," Harry told her with a quick glance over his shoulder. Mrs Lovage just sent him another wide smile and a nod, then walked over to her regular table - which was really only one of two small tables that he had in the store front. He also had another similar table in the back that he placed outside on sunny summer days when he could be bothered. Most of the time he couldn't be bothered though.

He quickly and efficiently made Mrs Lovage's milky tea - which was just regular darjeeling tea with copious amounts of milk. In fact Harry pretty much just scared the hot water and milk with the thought of a tea bag for all that he used one - and then plated up a strawberry tart before he carried both the tea and the tart over to Mrs Lovage and placed them down in front of her before taking the other seat at the other side of the small round metal table.

"So, do you have any ideas for what kind of cake you'd like this month?" Harry asked once she'd taken a sip of her tea and a bite of the tart.

"Well, I thought, given it's raspberry season, that it should have some fresh raspberries in it. Other than that, I don't have a clue," Mrs Lovage told him before returning to her tart and promptly demolishing it in a manner that was both terrifying for any watching cake and yet impressively polite.

"I do have a nice batch of raspberries growing in the garden, though I am regretting planting the bloody thing given it's slowly taking over the bottom of my garden. Thankfully I didn't have the bright idea to plant some blackberry bushes as well, or I wouldn't have a garden left. Still, I suppose I could think of something to make with fresh raspberries as the focus point. When would you need it by?"

"Monday, if that's okay with you?"

"That'll be fine! So, anything new with you? Did you hear that Mrs Baker's daughter gave birth to a little boy last week? Apparently she'll be bringing him down for her mother to see when she's recovered a bit more," Harry told her, sitting back in his seat as Mrs Lovage perked up at the gossip Harry was always happy to part with.

"Oh really? That's lovely! Though I swear that poor girl was pregnant for twelve months. It seemed quite a while ago that Betty told me about her daughter being pregnant. Oh! That reminds me, apparently someone's moved into the old Riddle Manor! Shocking stuff that happened up there! I can't believe old Frank was a suspect for their murder! And then the poor man died of a heart attack about eight years ago. Terrible business."

_"Bloody heart attack?! Weren't a bloody heart attack! That monster killed me with his freaky magic spells! Bloody magic! No one told me I had to be wary of bloody magic!"_

"Really? Do you know who it is that's bought the manor? I thought it still belonged to the family," Harry added musingly, recalling speaking to one of the Riddle's that had lived up there before the messy business with the Gaunts happened.

 _"Damned right it belongs to the family! Not that there is any family left! I refuse to accept that monster into my family! Knew those Gaunts were a shady lot! Bewitching my son into impregnating her!"_  Really Harry would rather be left out of family affairs, but he did silently admit it gave good gossip.

"Well, that's the scandal! Apparently it's the grandson of young Tom Riddle and that Gaunt girl! I remember her when I was a girl, shocking business! Well anyway, apparently when they ran off together, he actually got her pregnant! Imagine! So no one knows what happened with the son, but now the grandson, called Marvel or Marvin or something like that, he's showed up out of nowhere and claimed the family fortune! Now he's moved into the manor with several servants and is building the whole place up! I haven't seen him mind, but Lucy - you know Lucy, don't you? Lovely thing, looks like a stiff wind will blow her over! Married a great brute of a man. Surprised he didn't break her when they consummated their marriage! - Anyway, she claims he's quite the handsome man. Not that you can take her word for it, she does find her own husband handsome after all," Mrs Lovage added, much to Harry amusement.

_"You know who she's talking about, don't you? He's rather famous in the other world."_

_"I think you mean infamous, brother mine._ " Harry withheld a sigh when Antioch and Ignotus started bickering and turned his attention back to Mrs Lovage.

"Would you like another tart, Mrs Lovage? And I'm sure Mr Riddle will find his way into my bakery at some point in the near future, everyone always does. So when that happens I'll make sure to take note of how he looks and tell you what I think," Harry added with a small smile.

"Oh would you? That's brilliant! And yes, I think I will have another tart. You do make the best! Now, tell me, anything new in your life? Found anyone to share that lovely little cottage with finally?" Mrs Lovage asked him as he quickly made his way back behind the counter to get her second tart of the day, and hopefully not last.

"No no, you know me, heading for permanent bachelor status. I don't think there are many who would really want to put up with me," Harry said with a small smile and a shrug, silently adding that there weren't many he would be willing to put up with either. He generally preferred talking with the dead than the living.

"Oh now, don't be putting yourself down! You've just got a few hurdles in life that you've got to conquer! Doesn't make you any less of a catch! Besides, those glasses and dark look you've got are very in right now, apparently. I bet there are lots of young girls out there that would find you just delicious!" Mrs Lovage told him, making a small happy sound when he placed a new tart in front of her.

"Hmm, maybe."

 _"One day she's going to realise you're as bent as a nine bob note."_  Harry grinned at his aunt's words and glanced out of the window to see two more possible customers heading his way from different directions and quickly standing up from the table.

"Looks like Mr Thomason is coming in for his daily cake, I'd better get back to doing my job! Can't spend all day gossiping after all!" Harry told her with a smile when she glanced at him questioningly.

 _"Oh, you can't? Could have fooled me with the way you carry on. Don't forget Thomason likes Elephant feet, so make sure you've got a couple of those to tempt him with."_  Harry sighed and gave a small nod in acknowledgement to his aunt's whispers and checked to make sure he did indeed have an elephants foot - a large round choux pastry bun filled with sweetened whipped cream and topped with a gooey caramel sauce - in the display before wiping away a few stray crumbs and generally just making himself look busy behind the counter while he waited for his next customer to come in.

It wasn't a long wait before Mr Thomason entered the shop, bell above the door ringing cheerfully to announce his entrance as the man himself gave a quiet greeting to Mrs Lovage before making his way to the counter where Harry waited for him.

"Hello, young Harold!" Harry just smiled weakly, he'd long since given up on telling the man that his name wasn't a short version of Harold.

"Hello, Mr Thomason! What do you fancy today? I made some elephant feet this morning, if they take your fancy!" Harry said, motioning towards said treat though knowing Mr Thomason, he knew it'd take at least five minutes before the man finally made up his mind.

"Hmm, maybe, Harold. Maybe. I'll just have a look though, just in case something else takes me fancy."

"That's fine, Mr Thomason. How's your grandson? He's just coming to the end of his first year at university, isn't he?"

 _"You know he's going to pick the elephant foot, why does he even bother pretending to look at anything else? He was like this as a child, you know. Drove me insane! Takes after his father. It's the Thomason blood that does it. Our son and grandson are the same. My mother warned me that Thomason blood was shifty."_  Harry just rolled his eyes and quickly took a mental tally of anything he may need to restock - which was nothing - and then returned to leaning against the counter and feigning patience.

"Robert? He's doing fine! He'll be coming up here for a visit in the summer holidays, get him away from the influence of those southerners. Don't know what he was thinking going to London of all places!"

"I know, terrible decision. Full of Londoners," Harry agreed with a nod, not actually having anything against Londoners himself, not that he'd actually met any. Well, none living at least.

"Right, I'll have an elephants foot, I think. Actually, let's make it two."

"Okay! Would you like them boxed or just in a bag?" Harry asked, wondering why he was giving the man a choice.

"Oh well… put them in a box, I think. Knowing me, I'll squash them if I take them in a bag," Mr Thomason told him with a nod, everyone in the shop looking up and over to the door when the bell rang once again and two young men about the same age as Harry walked in. Harry stared at them and then at Mr Thomason, who gave a discreet shrug. Clearly the were new then because Harry had no clue who they were.

_"Oh he's definitely a Malfoy, that pasty looking blond one. Don't know who the other would be. From a family after my time. Looks a bit rodent like to me. Shifty looking eyes. Want me to taste his soul?"_

"No," Harry hissed quietly, Mr Thomason not even batting an eye at Harry speaking to himself, showing just how often it happened. Really though, it was like Uncle Antioch didn't trust that Harry could taste the ratty looking boys soul himself, not that he would, it gave him terrible heartburn for some reason. "Hello! Welcome to Sylvia's Sweet Treats, how may I help you today?"

Harry watched as the pair of wizards - they were so clearly wizards that it wouldn't have been any more obvious if they'd carried a sign, really, who wore those shoes with that top? - Glanced at him and then at the selection of cakes and sandwiches on display. Whilst they were looking, Harry quickly boxed up two elephant feet and passed them over the counter to Mr Thomason.

"That'll be two pounds and ten pence then please, Mr Thomason!" Harry added as Mr Thomason dug the money out of his wallet and handed the right amount over. "Thank you! You'll have to let me know what your grandson likes so I can have some ready when he comes to visit."

 _"I can tell you what he likes! Just because I'm dead doesn't mean I'm obsolete! Don't ignore me, boy!"_  Harry just rolled his eyes and smiled at Mr Thomason absently.

"I'll be sure to let you know in time, don't you worry! Take care of yourself on the way home tonight, Harold! Don't want you having a funny turn with no one around to help you, do we?" Mr Thomason said as his usual departing comment before he left the shop, leaving Harry with Mrs Lovage - who was not so discreetly checking out the two wizards in the shop - and said two wizards, who looked more out of place than a whore in a nunnery. Actually, that reminded him that he hadn't seen Delilah for a while.

"Mrs Lovage, have you spoken to Delilah recently? Last I spoke to her business was a bit dry, but that was over a week ago," Harry added with a small frown, glancing at the two wizards and wondering just what it was they were doing in there if they weren't going to buy something.

"Mr Moore hired her a couple of days ago, said she was thinking about moving to Great Hangleton! Imagine! Moving there!"

"Better than moving to York or somewhere even further away. I'd imagine she'd get a few more clients in a bigger town."

"Still, we look after our own here! Who knows what would happen to her over there!"

"Excuse me! Oi! You! Blind boy!" Harry blinked and realised the rude blond -  _"Definitely a Malfoy. Nasty lot. Nice to see they haven't changed with all the inbreeding._ " - was talking to him.

"I'm not blind. How may I help you?" Harry added with an overly polite tone and a spaced out smile, making the two wizards look at him like he was insane - not the first time he'd had that look sent his way.

"Right. I want a summer fruit tartlet and my friend wants a cream bun. Get them for us." Harry just stared at him for a minute before he shook his head and went about getting the cakes they had demanded, not even bothering offering them a bag. The way they carried themselves, they would expect a box.

_"Ask him the name of the ratty fellow next to him! It's driving me mad not knowing! He looks a little like a Prewett, but I've never known a Prewett to stand next to a Malfoy without cursing them first."_

"Can't say I blame them," Harry muttered, carefully placing the cream bun next to the tartlet and then efficiently closing the box and tying it closed with some ribbon.

"Did you say something?!"

"Here's your order, sir. That'll be one pound sixty, please," Harry said, placing the box on the counter and holding out his hand for the money.

"What? Don't you take galleons? What kind of place is this? Nott, pay the man!"

_"A Nott?! Good lord, they were a muggle-bred family in my time. They've actually managed to make it to pureblood status? What is the world coming to. Thank Death we died! Now, kick the pompous little shit out and tell him you don't want any of his disgraceful wizard money. Who does he think he is? You're a Peverell, you don't need to take any of his Gallic shit!"_

"Perhaps you should go exchange your money for proper currency. I believe a place called Gringotts will aide you there," Harry calmly pointed out, grinning when Ignotus gave a small cheer before telling him to physically kick the Malfoy brat out.

"How dare you tell me what to do! My father will hear about this! Nott, let's go! Filthy muggles. Don't know what we were thinking coming down here," Malfoy muttered stomping his way out of the shop with nott quickly following behind him.

"Well, wasn't he a pleasant young man?" Mrs Lovage said sarcastically, before she stood up from the table, brushing any stray crumbs from her impressive bust and made her way over to the counter. "Now, how much do I owe you?"

"That'll be three pounds for the two tarts then, please! Tea is on the house as usual!" Harry told her with a bright smile, taking the money she handed him and putting it in his till.

"Thank you, Harry. Don't you let that rude young man get to you though! I know his sort, privileged, stuck up little snot. Don't you make any mind on what he said!" Mrs Lovage told him with a stern frown on her face.

"I won't, Mrs Lovage, don't worry. I'll let you know what I come up with for your cake when you're next in, okay?'

"That'll be fine. I'll see you in a day or two! Take care of yourself!" And with that Mrs Lovage left the shop and left Harry to his thoughts.

_"Thought the Malfoy's would have bred themselves out by now. Seems we're not that fortunate. If he bothers you again, I'm sure we could come up with a suitable ritual that would deter him from bothering us again."_

"Us, Uncle Antioch? Surely it's just me he'd be bothering. Besides, you know we shouldn't use rituals on that kind. He wouldn't be impressed if we brought their attention back to necromancers once more."

_"I don't know, there must be a reason He allowed you to have the blood of a Peverell. Maybe He thinks it's time for necromancers to make a come back."_

"I'm the only one left!" Harry exclaimed, making his way into the kitchen and deciding to make himself a lettuce and tomato sandwich.

 _"You know, I still don't know what your aversion to meat is._ " Harry just rolled his eyes at his aunt's words, grinning when Cadmus made himself known and saving him from answering.

_"We've told you this already, you batty old hag! Everything dead that our kind touches may come back to life. How would you feel knowing that a simple ham sandwich might start flinching in pain and bleeding just as you're about to take a bite?"_

_"Yes, yes. I just think you're being nesh."_

_"Nesh?! I'll give you nesh!"_  Harry just rolled his eyes are his aunt and Cadmus, before making his way back to the front, taking his sandwich with him and taking a seat on the bar stool he had by the till.

"Have they finished arguing yet?" Harry asked absently into the air as he took a bite of his sandwich.

 _"Your aunt won't ever admit when she's wrong and Cadmus dislikes anyone telling him he's wrong. It'll be a while before they stop arguing._ "

"Ah, so whilst it's quiet before the late afternoon rush, any hints on who might be coming in and what they'd want? And does anyone have any idea of who might be thinking of coming in tomorrow, so I can have a head start."

_"I imagine Gerald will be stopping by after work to get some bread. It's been a couple of days since he bought some. Oh, and I bet a handful of kids from St Margarets Secondary and Little Hangleton Community School will stop by after school to get their daily sugar intake before going home."_

"Hmm, I think I've got enough cupcakes made for the school kids. And I made some bread this morning. Any ideas on what to make for Mrs Lovage's WI meeting…?" Harry trailed off when the bell rang and a tall, handsome man with dark brown, almost black hair and blue green eyes walked in with a regal air about him. "Afternoon, welcome to Sylvia's Sweet Treats."

 _"Dark Lord! Be careful around him! Don't give anything away! Don't let him know you're a Potter! Don't you dare die on us now, Boy!"_  Harry almost winced at the shrill tone Ignotus's voice took when the man stood in front of them.

"Afternoon. I am assuming this is the shop two sons of my employees were complaining about."

"A blond and a brunet? Yes, this was probably the place. No idea what I did to upset them other than tell them that they had the wrong currency," Harry told the man with a shrug, discreetly eyeing the man and trying to work out how he could possibly be the feared Dark Lord.

Harry was well aware of what was going on in the Wizarding world, he had been since he had been taken out of it. As much as Lily had tried to stay in touch with him, Harry had been aware that eventually something would happen that would 'magically' remove him from her thoughts and memories. When he was fifteen, his thoughts had come to pass and the weekly letters from his mother had come to a stop. However, Harry had other ways of getting news on what was happening. After all, wizards and witches died just the same as muggles, and when one was dead, they didn't much care who they were talking to as long as they got the chance. Or at least, that was what Harry thought.

So really, Harry was well aware that his older brother had been entered into a wizard tournament and then kidnapped, where he was used in a ritual to resurrect the Dark Lord - not that it was a true resurrection, he wasn't dead after all - when Harry was fourteen. He was also aware that the reign of terror hadn't quite happened the way most had expected and that Dumbledore had his fingers in more destructive pies than the Dark Lord did. Of course, this didn't mean the Dark Lord was a nice man and Harry certainly would have been happier not having the murderous man in his shop at this current moment in time.

"Yes, sadly neither one takes after their father in the intelligence stakes. Shame really. I only keep them around because their fathers are so useful."

"Ah, nepotism. Always nice to see still around. Not that I can talk of course, I did, after all, inherit this place from my aunt. Now, may I help you with anything other than commiserating on your current employees?" Harry asked, flinching a little when Ignotus yelled at him for making friendly with a Dark Lord. Not that Harry knew what Ignotus actually expected him to do that wouldn't get him killed.

"Thank you for your commiserations then. I'm Marvolo Riddle, by the way. I moved into the old Riddle Manor just outside of town."

_"I wonder if he knows he's named after the most insane man to ever have lived in Little Hangleton."_

"Oh! Yes, I know where you're talking about. Riddle Manor is well known around here. Is it true that it's haunted? Sorry. Not my business. Oh! I'm Harry, by the way. Well, technically my full name is Horatio because according to Uncle Antioch, Harry is far too common. Even though I pointed out that one of the crown princes was called Harry and it seemed to be good enough for him, though I guess that is short for Henry. Oh well, I prefer Harry. How may I help you again? Sorry for rambling! They're always telling me that I ramble too much."

_"Which you're still doing. What are you telling him your full name for?! And why did you mention Antioch?! Does that sound like a muggle name, you idiot?!"_

"Yes, yes, right. Sorry. Seriously though, can I help you in any way?" Harry asked, ignoring Ignotus' scolding and Marvolo's bemused stare which became even more confused when Harry absently batted at the air next to him.

"Well, I did come in to make sure that my idiot employees sons hadn't insulted you too badly, but now that I'm here, I would also quite like to buy a couple of eclairs. They're a secret weakness of mine and yours look delicious," Marvolo added, not noticing Harry staring at him in shock before he shook his head and quickly set up a box to place them inside.

"Right, well I hand bake everything you see here, so I'll take that as a compliment. And your weakness shall stay a secret with me of course! Hopefully they taste as good as they look!" Harry added with a bright smile, absently batting at the air beside him before he tied the box shut and placed it on the counter. "That'll be a pound please!"

 _"I can't believe the big bad Dark Lord has a hankering for eclairs. You could lace the cream with poison,"_  Cadmus whispered in his ear, apparently having finished arguing with Aunty Sylv.

"No, not a good idea." Harry muttered as he took the pound from Marvolo and put it in the till, head shooting up to look at Marvolo when the man cleared his throat. "Yes?"

"I don't wish to be rude, but I was just wondering, why are you wearing sunglasses inside? You just… remind me of someone I met many years ago and I never knew why he wore sunglasses inside either. Never got a chance to ask him."

 _"He's talking about you, you know. You're too young to remember, but we were there when he tried to kill your older brother. He could sense the power in you back then. Thank Death you're better at masking it now._ "

"Oh, well I don't know about the other person you met, but I was born with aniridia, which means I don't have irises. So my pupils can't contract in bright light so it hurts my eyes. Other than that though it doesn't affect me at all."

_"Except giving you the ability to see souls of the departed you mean? Probably best not to tell him that part though. Would give away the fact you're not a muggle."_

"Really? I suppose that also explains why your windows don't seem to let as much light in as they should given how large they are. Well, thank you for telling me and for the eclairs. If they're as good as I hope they are, then I shall recommend this bakery to my employees."

"Please do! And um… maybe let them know that I only accept pound sterling. I don't mean to be a bother, but well they'll find that most of the shops here don't accept any other currency. I mean, some people have tried to fob off a couple of euros on us, but we're not Ireland, you know?" Harry added with a laugh that possibly came out a little more strained than he had hoped, but really, the Dark Lord and overall hater of those with no magic was currently standing in his delightfully muggle bakery. It was enough to make anyone anxious.

"I'll make sure to let them know. Thank you for your service, Horatio." And with that, the Dark Lord - or Marvolo, apparently - left the shop before Harry could even think to tell him not to call him Horatio. He only ever let the Peverell's get away with that and that was only because he couldn't be bother to summon to energy so his punches actually hit their spiritual bodies.

"You know, Marvolo senior wasn't so bad. Okay, he was as mad as a box of frogs, but he did have some valid points. I mean, he was framed, so clearly someone was out to get him. Plus, his son was way crazier than he was."

 _"Yes, someone was out to get him. You just met him. And sold him an eclair. You know, I lived until I was forty-five and was an accomplished necromancer who could claim to have met Death on multiple occasions… And yet my life wasn't nearly as bizarre as yours has been._ "

"I'm just going to take that as a compliment. Now, I think I need to buy a new hat, don't you? Oh, and didn't you say it was time I made a new bead?"

_"Make sure the hat is black this time. And how many times do we have to tell you, it's not a bead! It's a physical manifestation of your spiritual energy!"_

"Right! And it physically manifested into a bead. Do you think maybe we should just close up shop and disappear? It can't be healthy living in the same town as a Dark Lord. Especially one who hates muggles and currently believes I am a muggle."

_"Better hope he lives by the rule of not shitting where you eat. Or in his case, not killing muggles where you live, sleep and eat in the hopes that the muggles don't get a clue and turn on you. Don't you even think about selling my bakery!"_

"Technically it's mine now."

 _"And technically me being dead won't stop me hurting you if you sell it._ "

"Fine fine. It was just a suggestion. Besides, maybe living near the headquarters of evil central will make this sleepy little town a bit more interesting. Put it on the map, so to speak."

 _"Well, either that or we're all going to be the first place the British government drops an A bomb on."_  And with that delightful scenario put in his head by Frank, Harry went back to finishing his rather tasteless sandwich. On the bright side, it didn't come to life in his hands and traumatise him for life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N - At this point in writing this, I should possibly take a moment to tell you that I have no idea where I'm going with this. It's safe to say I'm currently winging it. Though I do have a kind of vague idea of what I want to happen.
> 
> I plan to update this once every one to two weeks (depending on what's happening in my life!), so updates should (in theory) be fairly regular! :D 
> 
> Those that reviewed to ask about the Potters, well you'll slowly find out more about them as the chapters go on. Including what exactly happened to stop Lily from getting in touch with him. And yes, eventually, you'll find out what Charlus, Rose and Dahlia (his siblings, if you've forgotten) believe about Harry. You'll just need a little patience. :)
> 
> Oh, and speaking of reviews, if you have questions you would like me to answer, then please leave me a way to actually reply. I really don't like those fics that add to half the word count just by answering reviews. Really annoying. That being said, someone in an anonymous review did ask about James, and how it would be unlikely he'd treat his son that way. Personally, I don't think James was that bad. He is a pureblood and they're raised to look down on squibs, plus it's well known that squibs tend to be given away or killed. James just knew that Harry wouldn't be staying with them so he distanced himself from his son so it wouldn't hurt so much when the time to give him away came. James was right, how cruel would it have been to force a magicless child to live in a world full of magic he couldn't use? So don't hate James too much. Also, it was stated in the prologue that the real truth about the Peverell's was lost/erased, so why would James be special and know about them? Even in canon, the Peverell Brothers were seen as a myth or a fairy tale, so it would be a bit weird if James suddenly started going on that he knew the impossible. So yeah, that is why James didn't know about the connection to the Peverell's and Harry's abilities.
> 
> Hope that answered your questions, and if you do review anonymously with questions in future, sorry, but they won't be answered.


	4. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick note because people asked, I did leave a few clues as to how old Harry was but apparently I suck at clue giving. He's twenty-two, so Charlus is twenty-three. Draco is also twenty-three as it's currently June in the story. Hope that clears things up! :)
> 
> Also, people have mentioned Harry being the one to defeat Voldemort. He didn't. Charlus did. He was just being a child, children like bright shiny objects and Harry likes death. Really, it was inevitable that he'd reach to touch the Death Curse.
> 
> I don't normally do this, but this chapter is dedicated to Katzztar, who shares so many of the same opinions of certain characters as I do! This chapter is early because of them, go thank them! Lol (the next update, by the way, will probably be next week some time, if nothing happens in RL)

Chapter Three

The week that followed after the unexpected visit from the Dark Lord - and Harry was still trying to convince Antioch that it wouldn't be a wise idea to poison the man with his beloved eclairs. For one it would ruin his reputation. Plus, he'd totally be found out and killed in a painfully slow way - was rather boring and had no other unexpected surprises of the wizarding kind, though Harry had woken every day wondering if he would have another hapless customer who tried to fob him off with goblin gold. Useless metal. If Harry were actually able to trade it in a jewellers for actual gold, then sure, he'd have accepted it and laughed all the way to Maude's jewellery shop. But goblins were wily little buggers who for one, didn't hallmark their gold and thus making it seem fake to the eye, and to top it off, it was charmed so it didn't react correctly to any chemicals a jeweller might have used to test if it was gold at the absence of a hallmark.

Really, Harry thought it was a little selfish of goblins actually. Did they realise they were swindling muggleborns and squibs of a fortune? Probably. That was probably the reason they did it. Actually, that was definitely the reason they did it.

Still, the point was, Harry had been fully expecting and therefore had readied himself for visiting wizards, fully preparing himself to act like the slightly off-balance muggle he was masquerading as and it was all for naught. The only slightly strange thing that had happened had been Mrs Lovage inviting him to join the WI - and Harry pointing out that him being male, it was kinda redundant for him to join something called the  _Women's_  Institute - but that was less magical and more… Mrs Lovage.

So Harry fully felt it was well within his right to whine at the injustice when, just as he'd finally calmed down and convinced himself that Volde-whatever had hated his eclairs and thus warned all his wizardly cohorts to avoid his bakery, and so was therefore finally acting more like his - still admittedly crazy - self, when low and behold a bloody wizard walked into his shop fifteen minutes before closing time.

He was  _totally_  within his rights to whine.

"Why didn't you bloody warn me?! What good are you? This is so unfair!" So Harry did whine. And then blush quite spectacularly when the attractive, behemoth of a man just raised an eyebrow in question and stared at him with fathomless dark brown eyes. And yes, Harry had possibly raided his aunt's old Mills and Boons books that night before for something to read.

Antioch had mocked him mercilessly.

_"Oh yes, that's something a sane muggle man would say to absolutely no one when someone walked in their shop. Maybe you should just stay on tenterhooks until the end of your days."_

"Not helping," Harry muttered, before coughing into his hand and them smiling sheepishly at the clearly bemused man - who was at least a good foot taller than Harry and so probably wouldn't even need to raise his wand to squish Harry like a bug. "Hi! Sorry, just er… you know? Voices. Um… How may I help you?"

"My boss said you made good cakes."

"Oh! Right! Mr Riddle, I'm assuming? Either that or Mr Hendricks, and well, he's kinda crazy and refuses to come in here in case I take his position as the town nutcase. Er…" Harry trailed off and mentally wondered why he was acting like a complete moron.

_"Because you are one, honey. Now, I just got back from talking to Dowager Murray. Apparently-"_

"NOT the time," Harry hissed, before mentally groaning and wondering just why he was making so many mistakes today when the man-mountain in front of him just raised his other eyebrow. He also absently wondered if a dead woman could still be called a dowager, as she wasn't exactly a widow anymore.

"Right. I like pies. Do you have pies?"

_"Man of many words this one. Snatch him up, Harry. He's your opposite. Other than being clearly sane, I mean."_

_"I think not! My heir will not be with some inbred wizard pureblood!"_  Harry just shook his head quickly and took a step to the side as though to distance himself from the once again bickering Cadmus and Sylv.

"I have a couple of pies made. Umm, all fruit pies though. Sorry, I don't sell meat products."

"I like cherries."

"You're in luck! I have one cherry pie left! And as it's the last one left and nearing the end of the day, you can have it for half the price as well! Is there anything else you'd like?"

"Hm. Four jam donuts."

"Right! Okay! Oh, and I'll toss in the last two eclairs as well for er… well, um… Anyone! Free of charge! Otherwise they'll just be thrown away."

"Hmm."

"Right… so! One cherry pie, four jam donuts and two eclairs. That comes to… well, just two pounds!" Harry said cheerfully, boxing up the man's order as he rummaged in his pocket for the - hopefully - right money. He quickly placed the three boxes, all tied together with parcel ribbon, on the counter and took the offered money. "Thank you! Come again!"

"Hmm. I will," the man told him with a small smirk that for reasons unknown to Harry actually made him blush before he turned and left the shop, three boxes hanging effortlessly from the ribbon they were tied with.

"You lot are going to get me killed!" Harry exclaimed loudly once the door was shut and Harry had rushed over to lock it - only five or ten minutes early - behind the man. He threw his hands up in the air in annoyance and stomped back behind the counter to start cleaning up before he made what he could to prepare for another early morning the next day.

_"Really, we were just pointing out the obvious! If anything, you're going to get yourself killed."_  Harry growled under his breath at Ignotus' words.

_"Much as it pains me to say, he is right. You're normally quite good at just coming across a little unbalanced mentally without full out arguing with yourself. The arrival of this Dark Lord is not doing good things for your cover."_

"Look, legally my name isn't even Potter any more! He'll never find out that I'm in any way related to the vaunted Boy Who Lived. Who, might I add, isn't exactly doing any saviour duties from what you've been telling me."

_"The boy's right! That bloody Potter boy really isn't doing the Light side any good. I don't know much about about what's happening in that wizarding world of yours but even I know Harry's brother is useless._ "

"Oh, Frank, I don't know, I wouldn't say he was useless. Besides, if he was actually good at stopping the Dark Lord, then Dumbledore would be winning and I think we can safely say that none of us want that."

_"You do have a point. As it is, Dumbledore is already making efforts to search for you. The lost Potter."_

"Wait, what? Why? I'm nothing but a squib to him! What good would I be?" Harry asked, a little alarmed at Ignotus' words.

_"Ah, but your mother has always had her doubts about you. She's hid it well but recently she confessed her thoughts about you. Sadly, Dumbledore took what she thought to heart so now he's hunting you down in the thoughts that you'll somehow make things easier for your beloved brother,"_

"Right. He really is off his rocker, isn't he? How am I supposed to help, exactly? Man, why does the wizarding world have to think necromancers are those bloody dark wizards that make inferi," Harry whined, giving a small shudder at the thought of inferi, as he made his way into the kitchen with the remaining food he'd taken out of the display cabinets.

_"I've been saying that for decades. Still, maybe we should work on your next focus. It should help ground you a bit more."_

"So… it'll help me ignore you lot more?"

_"Actually, it'll more likely widen your range to about twenty-five miles as opposed to the fifteen miles it is now,"_  Cadmus admitted, and Harry just knew he was grinning when Harry groaned at the thought of even more busybody dead people trying to chat it up with him.

_"Oh, it's not that bad. It's not like every person who has died within a twenty-five mile radius will want to talk to you. Everyone that had died within ten miles doesn't!"_

"True, but now a bloody homicidal Dark Lord is living less than ten miles away, there'll be loads of dead people soon and they'll all want to talk to the crazy kid who can hear them whine on about how unfair it all was," Harry grumbled, pouting as he beat his frustrations into the dough he was making.

_"Well, that is true, but they'll soon realise that you don't give a damn and won't be doing anything to avenge people you have no connection to. Just better hope he doesn't kill anyone you're actually related to. That could be awkward._ "

"You mean like half the wizarding world? My dad was a pureblood after all. How is it remotely a good thing to marry your cousin, by the way?"

_"Oh, I don't know, we had a cousin who was quite the looker. Remember Elisabett?"_

"Oh gods, please spare me from this decidedly creepy conversation."

_"I'm with my adorable little nephew on this one. Though I suppose back in your day it wasn't quite so unusual to marry a second cousin or so,"_  Aunty Sylv added musingly, making Harry wrinkle his nose in distaste. Not that he knew any of his cousins - in fact he was only aware that he had one - but he was pretty sure he wouldn't find them attractive and certainly wouldn't consider marrying one.

"Gross."

_"For you, maybe. Then again, I've seen your cousin. Quite the… large lad. Now, enough about this, I think you should make plans to do the ritual on Sunday morning. You don't open on a Sunday anyway, so you'll be able to sleep in afterwards."_

"Do you think I should go into Great Hangleton and use the graveyard there? Less chance that Volde-whojit will pick up on the magic used and investigate."

_"That is true, but the graveyard in Little Hangleton has older graves that you are more familiar with. Then again, maybe it would be better if you went to a battlefield. You haven't made one there before. It would certainly be an experience."_

_"Yorkshire does have the most battlefields of any county in England."_

"You know the most random facts, Aunty Sylv."

_"You would too if you hadn't offended your history teacher so much that he refused to allow you into the GCSE class!"_

"I didn't offend him! I just pointed out that his facts were wrong! It's not my fault we visited York Cathedral where there are actual dead bodies and those dead people contradicted what Mr Macartney was saying!" Harry defended himself, pouting as he thought back to how his teacher had reacted that day.

_"Yes, there is a downside to talking to the dead, isn't there? Now, I've decided that my idea was a good one, so you just need to pick a battlefield."_

"Bosworth!"

_"There was a reason you weren't allowed in the Geography GCSE class either… Bosworth is in Leicestershire."_

"Hastings!"

_"Sussex._ "

"I thought you said there were loads in Yorkshire! So far all the ones we've mentioned are somewhere else! Where was the one with Robert the Bruce? I wouldn't mind talking to him."

_"A battle did take place in Yorkshire but The Bruce didn't die here. In fact they won. But if you want to go there, it's Byland Moor."_

"It's a moor? Necromancers can't become werewolves, right? I remember you telling me that, Cadmus. That's true, right?"

_"Yes, it's true but the film that is making you think werewolves are actually hunting the Yorkshire moors wasn't real. In fact, as far as I'm aware there are no werewolves currently in Yorkshire. Well, except the ones that visit your resident Dark Lord. Of course, this is all completely obsolete because it isn't even a full moon on the night you'll be in the moors. In fact, it's a new moon. Which is the reason I said to do it this weekend."_

"Fine, that's good then. So we're going to Old Byland to talk to some angry dead Scotsmen and Englishmen? Great. Now I just have to work on pretending to be muggle a bit better."

* * *

Marcus Flint walked through the halls of Riddle Manor, ignoring the odd looks he was getting from the Death Eaters he passed due to the boxes of baked goods he was carrying, and instead made his way to the main dining hall where he assumed the Dark Lord would be, but also knew Malfoy Snr and his father would be there waiting for the donuts. And even now, Flint was bemused by the mere thought of watching Lucius Malfoy eat a jam donut.

He entered the room and silently placed the boxes on the table, glancing over to see that the Dark Lord was indeed in there and was watching him with mild interest.

"What are in the boxes?"

"Cakes, My Lord. And a pie. My father and Lord Malfoy wished to try some jam donuts, so I went down to buy some. The… slightly strange man who worked there also gave me some free eclairs. Claiming that they would go to waste so I should just take them. Though he didn't offer me any of the other food that would go to waste. No idea why he just gave me eclairs," Marcus admitted with a shrug, wondering what he'd said when the Dark Lord's eyes narrowed at him.

"He didn't give any reason for giving you free eclairs?"

"No, My Lord. To be honest, I think he's a little insane."

"What makes you say that?" Lord Voldemort asked, moving nearer to the table and glancing at the now open boxes and casually picking up an eclair.

"Well, he was talking to himself and seemed to hear voices. Are all muggles that odd?" Marcus couldn't help but ask, the strange baker being the only muggle he'd really had the… pleasure of meeting.

"No. Most are rather dull. He is different and I think we should keep an eye on him. There is something about him that tells me he is not your average muggle."

"What makes you say that, My Lord?" Flint Senior asked, struggling with the donut he was eating, though Malfoy was somehow making eating the thing look elegant. Marcus had no idea how he was achieving that.

"He seemed to recognise me. Though maybe recognise is the wrong word. No, he seemed to know enough about me to be wary. He was very nervous the whole time I was in the shop."

"Yes, he was quite nervous when I was in there. Like he couldn't wait for me to get out of the shop."

"That's exactly how he was with me. And Draco mentioned that he knew of Gringotts. He is a very well informed muggle, if that is indeed what he is. I have doubts to that though."

"You think he's a wizard?"

"No. I sensed no magic in him. If anything, I think he is a squib. I am sure, though, that he knew we were wizards. Dark wizards at that. I also get the feeling that he knows more about what happened to the family that owned this manor than the rest of the muggles in this town."

"Do you want us to bring him in? Question him about what he knows, My Lord?" Lucius asked calmly, for some reason the suggestion making Marcus' hackles rise.

"No. Not yet anyway. For now, we'll just keep an eye on him. Perhaps place an eavesdropping charm the next time one of us goes there to see if he says anything that'll give him away, or perhaps if he's in contact with any wizards. It would be dangerous if he was and were to mention one of us to them. Who knows who that would get back to. For the time being however, we'll just watch him," Lord Voldemort told them whilst reaching for another eclair. Marcus watched him and began to have the sneaking suspicion that the insane baker squib had in fact given him the free eclairs for a reason.

"Of course, My Lord. We can charm one of the chairs he has in the shop front with an eavesdropping charm the next time someone goes in there. That should at least get us some information."

"In the mean time, maybe we can find out a little about the baker. I only know his first name is Harry, short for Horatio, other than that, we know nothing. Perhaps it would be in our best interest to find out a little of his history and see if he is indeed a squib. Lucius, see if your contacts know anything and Marcus, maybe you could go the muggle route. Get Barty to help you there, he has an unhealthy interest in muggle technology, he'll be able to help you find out what you need."

"Yes, My Lord," Marcus agreed, mentally groaning at the thought of having to work with Barty Crouch. That man was more crazy than the squib baker.

* * *

Harry stifled a yawn as he grabbed everything he would need for that night's ritual, ignoring the nagging of Ignotus as he carefully placed the extortionately priced set of crystal blades - and boy was Maude curious about why he needed those - wrapped in a specially made case of black silk, admittedly it should have been velvet, but touching velvet made Harry feel physically sick, into his bag, along with a couple of roughly cut stones and a few strands of his hair that had been soaking in his blood for twenty-four hours.

"I think I have everything. I checked Yahoo for where exactly Byland Abbey is and I think I have a good mental image of it, so we can shadow walk there. Which is totally a good thing because I don't think the trains run at two in the morning."

_"Good, you should make your way to the nearest cemetery then so we can leave and get to the moor before three."_

"Actually, maybe we should head to the other graveyard. The nearest one would be Riddle cemetery. I don't think it would be a good idea heading there just in case we bump into someone we really don't want to. Especially given what Frank told us they have been discussing."

_"You do have a point. Fine, go to the graveyard next to St Peter and St Paul's. It has the added bonus of being consecrated ground, so it should help you a little. But hurry up! Your ritual has to happen at three."_

"Yeah, yeah. Hold you horses," Harry grumbled before he grabbed his bag and slung it over his shoulder, then grabbed his house keys from the table and quickly made his way out of the house, thankful for his 'religions' insistence that he always wear black as it aided him in going unnoticed in the dark. The new moon also helped him with that.

Harry quickly jogged to the main, and only, catholic church in Little Hangleton that was about a mile across town from where his cottage was and, when he got there, quickly glanced around to make sure no one was watching before shimmying up and over the wrought iron fence that surrounded the grounds and generally just gave the place an all round creepy and intimidating feel to it.

Well, to normal people. Harry was far from normal in any sense of the word and as soon as his feet touched the hallowed ground of the graveyard, he relaxed as a feeling of home washed over him. This was his second most commonly visited and used graveyard, second to the Riddle one which was now lost to him much to his distress, and he knew all the 'residents' there.

"Where to for the portal?"

_"It's not a portal. Stop watching ridiculous sci fi tv shows that put these silly words and ideas into your head."_

"What is it then and where do you suppose would be the best place to set it up? I've never left from this graveyard before. Always used that creepy grim reaper headstone over Tom Riddle Senior's resting place," Harry admitted with a shrug, glancing down when he felt something brush his ankle and smiling when he saw it was Madam Locke. He knelt down and brushed his hand over the hand reaching out of the ground, smiling when it shuddered. "Sorry, Mimi, not here to talk tonight. I've got to head over to a battlefield. If I have time when I get back, I'll drop by though, yeah?" Harry's answer was given in the form of the hand brushing over his pulse point in his wrist before retreating back into the ground. Harry then stood up once more and brushed the dirt from his knees. "So?"

_"An old Earl was buried here a few centuries ago. His headstone is just behind the church and should be large enough for you to draw the gate on."_  Harry just nodded silently to Antioch's suggestion and made his way through the gravestones to the back of the churchyard and where the headstone Harry assumed Antioch was talking about was placed. It was a rather impressive size, coming up to Harry's chest in height and would be the perfect place for his gate.

Quickly walking over to the impressive headstone, Harry dropped his bag next to it before kneeling down in front of the back of it.

"Hey, can I borrow your headstone to create my gate, please?" Harry whispered to the ground, hoping the owner was around at the time and not busy gossiping in wherever it was the dead went to catch up.

_"Of course you can, Master Necromancer. Indeed, it would be my pleasure."_

_"He's not a master yet. Soon though."_  Harry just rolled his eyes at Ignotus' reminder of his less than perfect necromancer status and instead reached for his back and brought out some chalk as opposed to bickering with his many times great grandfather.

"Thank you. I promise I'll wash the chalk off when I return," Harry whispered, then started to draw intricate runes and symbols on the headstone. In quick order, Harry swiftly wrote the last of the runes, then bit his thumb to draw blood and smeared his blood across the entire stone. Taking a step back, he felt his magic being drawn from him into the runes and symbols, then with a barely audible rushing sound, the headstone shimmered before seemingly becoming transparent, showing a vision of a field. "Here's hoping I was thinking of the right place, huh?" Harry muttered before he shoved his chalk back into his bag, picked it up and then, taking a deep breath, stepped through the gateway.

Just like stepping through an open window, there was no feeling of displacement or anything else to suggest he'd just travelled several miles in one step. As soon as his feet touched the ground on the other side of the gateway, he knew he had gotten the right place. He could sense the deaths that had happened there. None of them particularly pleasant, and he could feel the anger and rage that had caused those deaths.

"Pleasant place. Right, I'm Horatio Peverell and I would very much like to use your resting place as my grounding point to create my next focus bead thing."

_"Why should we allow this, little necromancer?"_  Harry jumped at the deep voice that had answered him in Scottish-Gaelic, making Harry so very glad that he'd pretty much grown up speaking many now considered dead languages. Well, the ones common to the island now known as Great Britain.

"Well, it would be nice?" Harry answered in the same language before sighing and slumping a little, "Look, here's the thing, there's this Dark Lord who's just moved into my town and if he finds out what I am, I very much doubt he'll have any qualms forcing me to raise armies of the dead. Something I'm very much against, as I'm sure you all are as well. Creating another focus will help me to hide what I am. I don't want to be dragged into the war the wizards are having. It won't end well for me whatever side finds me first. So, please? Can I use your resting ground?"

_"You give a good argument in your favour. We may not be of those chosen to use magic but we know what is happening in that world. We agree with you, it would not bring good tidings were you to be found out. Because of this, we will agree to allow you passage and grounding. And know, that should you need our battlefield in the future then you will be free to use it."_

Harry gave a small sigh of relief at being given the go ahead and then wasted no time in setting up what he would need for the small ritual he was about to perform. He knelt on the floor and carefully laid out the three knives he would be using in front of him, then placed a sprig of willow and another sprig of hazel, both cut from trees in his garden, by his side and took a deep breath to centre himself.

"Lord Death, hear my call, I offer sacrifice in order to advance myself in my skills that you have graced upon me. I offer myself, blood of your blood, to show my respect," Harry whispered, cutting himself with the first blade, made of Garnet, the stone of his astrological sign, and letting the blood pool into the palm of his hand. He then grabbed the sprig of willow with his now bloody hand and the second knife made of Jasper and sliced along the length of the wood. "I offer willow to strengthen my connection to you and the dead." He carefully placed the now split willow on the floor in front of him before picking up the hazel, again with his bloody hand and swapped the jasper knife for his smallest and most expensive blade, the one made of sapphire and again sliced the wood lengthways. "And I offer hazel in hopes it will aid me in gaining wisdom from those that have left this life." Once more Harry placed the wood on the ground in front of him and then placed the knife down and wiped his hand on a strip of white silk that was already stained with old blood.

Placing that cloth next to the knives, Harry then whispered a small prayer over the bloodied pieces of wood in front of him and leant back, breath hitching as he felt his magic being drawn out of him into the offerings and feeling the rush of energy from the blood that had been split on the ground he was kneeling on twisting and flowing through him to join his own magic. After a couple of minutes at most - the fastest he had ever performed the ritual - the pieces of wood spontaneously combusted into dark green flames before turning the ash and Harry felt the magic build once more before he felt a small tug at his hair and the magic dissipated.

Waiting a moment or two to catch his breath and try to regain a bit of energy, he raised his hand shakily and patted where he had felt the tug, grinning widely when he felt another bead now a part of his hair.

_"You did well and have clearly pleased our Lord, Horatio."_

"Hmm? Why do you say that?" Harry asked with a frown, wondering how Antioch could tell he'd pleased Death just from a bead forming. A bead had formed almost every time he'd performed this ritual, the only time one hadn't was the first time he'd done it and had sneezed just as the branches had caught fire, abruptly ending the ritual and pissing Death off. Apparently.

_"Your guide is right, bairn. Your bead is not made of obsidian like the others, it is made of emerald. We were raised to believe emerald gave the wearer peace."_

_"He's right. It gives the wearer peace, but it also helps bring mental and emotional equilibrium. Our Lord clearly knew the reason for this ritual and felt He would offer His own form of protection against the wizards searching for you."_

"Well, that's kinda… scary actually. I like Death, He was a nice guy when I met Him, but I feel like He's singled me out and now the spotlight is on me. What if I let Him down!"

_"You are the only necromancer in existence. It is a high possibility that you have always been in Death's favour from birth. When He indeed singled you out to carry His gift in your blood. Don't let Him down!"_

"Gee, thanks for talking me off the ledge there, Uncle Cadmus. You really suck with the motivational speeches, you know?"

_"I am not here to pander to your weak ego. Now pack everything away, thank the kind souls that allowed you to intrude on their peace and then let us leave this place. It will be dawn very soon and you have a headstone to clean before you can go to bed._ " Harry groaned a little at the thought of having to clean away any evidence of magic from the gravestone he had used as a gateway, feeling drained of all energy and really just wanting to fall into bed and not wake up until he absolutely had to.

Sighing loudly, Harry quickly wiped off all his knives on the bloodied silk rag and then wrapped them in the black silk, before placing them and the bloodied rag back into his bag and hitching it on his shoulder as he stood up, wincing as the blood rushed back into his legs.

"Thank you for allowing me to channel your energy in my ritual," Harry whispered, bowing his head in thanks and walking over to where his gateway was still open.

_"You are quite welcome, favoured of Death."_  Harry winced at the new nickname he seemed to have been given and withheld a put upon sigh he wanted to release.

"Yeah, let's not call me that. Thank you again and I'll be back soon, if only to talk to you, I'm betting you have some interesting stories," Harry added with a grin before he ducked into the gateway and stepped through to the graveyard in Little Hangleton.

Once Harry had cleaned away any evidence he was there from the headstone, he quickly made his way back to his cottage and it was with relief that he closed the door behind him just as the first rays of sunlight broke over the horizon. He didn't even bother changing out of his clothes as he stumbled to his bedroom and fell onto his bed with a groan, silently promising himself that he would properly clean and wrap up his wound when he woke up before giving in to exhaustion and passing out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just in case you were wondering, the meanings behind the stones Harry's knives are made of are as follows:
> 
> Garnet - as mentioned, it is the stone of his star sign, which is Scorpio (he was born on Halloween, don't forget)
> 
> Jasper - Protection against negativity and fear, it was used with willow, which is the wood of death.
> 
> Sapphire - Wisdom, which is used with hazel, the wood of wisdom. He really needs wisdom. Lol
> 
> Also, emerald, as was explained by Antioch, is used for protection, peace, spiritual, emotional and mental well-being and a whole load of other stuff, including helping eyesight and insomnia. Both of which are complete bollocks because I've worn emeralds in some form nearly all my life (it's my birthstone) and I'm blind as a bat and a chronic insomniac… I'm also possibly a little mentally unbalanced. *Snort*
> 
> Well, let me know what you think (and before anyone contradicts me, different cultures have different meanings behind gemstones. I'm using the ones I know of), cheers! Oh! And yes, if there does turn out to be a pairing in this, then Marcus Flint is currently winning the race in my mind.
> 
> If you wondering, Mills and Boons are the British equivalent of Harlequin novels, I believe. My grandma had loads of them, which now that I know what they are (basically bad smut) totally changes my view of her… *snickers*


	5. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Warnings: There will be a major character death in this chapter, but as you may have gathered by now, death isn't exactly final in this world.
> 
> Also, yes, eventually, there will possibly be slash in this. It's not certain yet, the only thing that is certain is that Harry is gay, so if that bothers you then just stop reading. Don't whine in a review to me about it and how its immoral or whatever bollocks you believe. I'm not moral. Harry's not moral. Who wants to be moral? Boring. ;D

Chapter Four

Marcus gathered in the main receiving room of Riddle Manor along with the eleven other members of the inner circle of Death Eaters - not that Marcus was a part of the inner circle, he was only there because he was the only other person other than the Dark Lord who had spoken to the strange baker in town - all there to discuss said baker and what they had found out about him.

"You are all my most trusted. I do not trust some of the other Death Eaters not to just go into the town and torture the one I am interested in, which is why you are the only ones I have gathered. Now, as many of you are aware, this past week I have had a few of you gathering information on a resident of this small town who I suspect may be more than he is pretending to be. Lucius, step forward." Lucius, mask doing nothing to hide his identity given the man didn't bother to hide his highly recognisable hair, stepped forward and bowed before straightening and waiting for his orders. "Lucius, tell me, what have your contacts found out about the young muggle baker?"

"My Lord, I have been able to find out that between the years of nineteen-seventy-seven and nineteen-eighty-two, only seven squibs were born. One died at childbirth and two were female. Of the four surviving males, it is not apparent what happened to them, but two were born with a name that could be shortened into Harry."

"Oh?"

"Yes, a Henry Phillips, of the relatively young pureblood Phillips family was born in nineteen-eighty-one and well…"

"Lucius?"

"The Potter's gave birth to a squib son called Harry in nineteen-eighty," Lucius told him quickly, not bothering to look up to see his lords reaction to that piece of information, though Marcus was watching and so saw the wondering look on Lord Voldemort's face.

"What happened to the Potter squib?"

"No one knows, My Lord. Most assume he died as there are no records for him other than his birth certificate and one healers record where it was confirmed that he was a squib. He was last seen in public when he was six. After that, no one saw anything of him."

"I remember that child. He was very strange. Laughed even when it looked like his older brother was going to die. Of course, he was one and therefore probably didn't know what was happening, but he didn't show any fear. He was a very strange child, now that I think of it. There is absolutely no more information about him? Nothing to say what happened to him? Not even a death certificate?"

"Nothing, My Lord. I asked around, but no one could tell me anything new."

"Marcus, Barty, step forward. Lucius, you may step back for now." Marcus glanced to the man next to him and took a step forward with him, both bowing quickly before straightening up and waiting for their lord to acknowledge them. "Tell me what you have found about our mystery baker."

"My Lord, we searched many different muggle censuses and records. From what we have found, he is called Horatio Waterhouse, though he tends to go by Harry. He owns the bakery and a small cottage on the edge of town, both were left to him in his great aunt's will, a woman who was his legal guardian from the age of eleven. He is seemingly very intelligent, finishing muggle school early and taking the muggle equivalent to NEWTs at fifteen, then gaining a degree in culinary arts, by the age of seventeen. His guardian, Sylvia Waterhouse, died when he was twenty and left everything to him. There is no record of him before the age of eleven, nor is there any birth certificate available anywhere," Barty told him with barely a twitch, which Marcus found impressive for the man.

"Anything else?"

"I asked around about him, My Lord. Generally he is a well liked young man, with many in the town feeling protective of him due to his disabilities and general frail appearance. Many believe him to be slightly touched in the head and I did speak to one person, a past teacher of his, who told me he suspected Harry had some form of schizophrenia. However, as far as I could find, there are no records of him being diagnosed as such or even having an appointment with a mind healer to diagnose it."

"So we are not the only ones wondering about young Mr Waterhouse's sanity. Did either of you find out anything else about him?"

"Just one other thing, My Lord," Barty said, sounding anxious about whatever it was he was going to tell them.

"Yes?"

"Well, it seems that he closes his bakery every year for the month of October. No one knows why but he has done so each year for the past two years. He also disappeared for that month every year since graduating, though his aunt did not follow him wherever he went as she never closed the shop."

"And no one knows where he goes for an entire month? No one at all?"

"No, My Lord. It is likely the aunt knew, but she never told anyone before she died."

"Well, I believe we should work on bugging his shop then. We need to find out what he knows, if anything at all and if he is in contact with anyone in the wizarding world. Marcus, given you have already been there and are close in age to him, perhaps you could befriend him, see if you can find anything out that way."

"Yes, My Lord, although…"

"Yes?"

"In all the research I did, not once did anyone ever mention a friend or anyone close to him other than his aunt. I will try to get close to him, my lord, but I do not see it being easy."

"I will take that into account then. Other than befriending him, I think we should place eavesdropping charms on several items around him, does anyone have an animagus form that may help in spying on him?"

"Oh! My Lord, I am a bird. I could possibly spy on him whenever he is outside," Nott senior said, sounding smug about the fact, though Marcus had seen what bird he was and turning into a common robin was really nothing exciting. It didn't say much positive about the man's personality either.

"Very well then. We shall follow this plan then and as soon as anyone finds out any information that they think is important, then come and tell me. Otherwise, do what you feel is necessary to find out if he is in contact with any wizards but do not allow him to get suspicious."

* * *

"So you don't know what kind of bird he is then?" Harry asked, wiping down the counter as he prepared to open the shop on the monday following his ritual. He'd spent most of the day before, once he had woken up, playing with his new bead and commenting on it, much to his aunt and the Peverell's irritation.

_"Sadly not, lad. He's a nasty sort though, you be careful now. I don't want something happening to you."_

_"No, none of us do. Perhaps you should summon Him for some more help,"_  Ignotus suggested, making Harry furiously shake his head.

"No, no, no. That is not going to happen. I can't bother Him with this! Why would He want to know about this?" Harry asked, a slight hysterical tinge to his voice as he thought about how pissed Death would be if Harry chose to bother Him about something unimportant.

_"It is hardly unimportant. And He has already offered His support in this judging by the gift He gave you._ "

"Yes, and that was enough! I can't ask for anything more from Him! Look, I'm sure it'll all be fine and we're all worrying about noth—" Harry paused mid word when the bell above the shop entrance rang and the huge death eater that Frank said was called Marcus walked in, eyeing him strangely and then looking around.

"Were you talking to someone?"

"Um… no? I er… I talk to myself sometimes. You know, listing the things I need to do out loud so I don't forget them. Um… can I help you with something? In here for anything in particular?" Harry asked him, hoping that his nerves didn't show in his voice, but already feeling the difference the bead was making by allowing him to focus on the living as opposed to the dead. Something he has never truly been able to do before now.

"I came in for another pie. And eclairs."

"Oh right, same kind of pie as last time? Cherry, right?"

"Want to try something new. Apple this time."

"Oh right, well actually, I don't have any apple pies made right now, but if you come back in about an hour, then I will have one made for you. I can get you the eclairs now though."

"No, I'll get them when I come back."

"Okay then. I'll make sure to have your pie ready for you in an hour then! See you later!" Harry said cheerfully, watching him as he left the shop and then through the window to make sure he'd actually left.

_"Bug."_

"What?"

_"Go into the kitchen. Don't speak until you do!"_  Harry frowned at Antioch's order but followed it all the same, figuring he needed to be in there anyway if he was going to be making a pie. Stepping into the kitchen, door swinging shut behind him and making sure that the mic for the bell was on so he could hear if anyone came into the shop, Harry grabbed the ingredients he would need to make an apple pie and then leaned against the counter.

"So? What was that all about?"

_"He placed a bug. They can now hear everything you say in the main shop front. You should be safe in here though._ "

"Man, really? So what do I do? And don't say summon Him. You know I won't do that. He's got better things to do than look after me. Also, I've got a query."

_"Oh?"_

"Yeah, say Dumbledick finds me. I've got a choice then. It's either him or Voldepants. I don't really have anywhere else I can run, let's face it. And I certainly don't stand a chance against either one on my own. So, which is the lesser of two evils?"

_"Both would want to control you._ "

"Oh, I know that. But isn't it bad luck to kill a necromancer? It'd certainly piss Death off. So I figure I could possibly stand up to them, not let them control me. It's not like they could force me to raise the dead or anything."

_"True. But there are worse things than death. Neither would hesitate in going down that route to control you. Plus, no one knows what a necromancer is anymore so they do not know about the bad luck of killing one."_

"Okay. So, lesser of two evils? Which would you recommend I go to? Hypothetically of course."

_"Voldemort."_

"Really? Why him?"

_"He respects Death to the point of fearing Him. Were you to explain why it is against your code to raise the dead, then he would probably accept it. He would still use you though, just for things less likely to get you punished."_

"Okay then, so Voldemort is the lesser of two evils. I'll make a note of it and just pray it never comes to the point where I need to run to him for protection. What  _is_  happening on Dumbledick's side?" Harry asked as he thinly sliced a cooking apple.

_"He is still searching for you, though not as thoroughly as he could, thankfully. Your brother has started rebelling against his trainers, apparently realising he is a young man and all his friends are going out partying whilst he is stuck training day and night. Your sisters recently found a photo of you and asked who you were. Your father claims you died."_

"Nice of him. It's going to be mighty hard to explain that away should Dumbledore succeed and find me. And are they actually relying on a twenty-four year old man to win this war for them?"

_"Technically, they expected a fifteen year old boy to win the war for them. As the Light slowly loses more ground, Dumbledore gets more and more desperate. We're still not sure why he feels he is the leader, nor why he can't accept that Voldemort actually has some good ideas on how to change the wizarding world. But Dumbledore was to blame for Voldemort's rise in the first place. Tom Riddle tried to go about it legally at first, but Dumbledore kept blacklisting him until he decided to go dark. No one really knows what Dumbledore wants out of all this anymore. But still everyone stays blind to his faults. If you are lucky, then you won't get dragged into all this and be forced to witness the wizarding world collapse."_

"When have I ever been lucky? I broke my foot by falling down a drain once. There is nothing lucky about me."

_"Then you had either better start hoping your luck picks up or start considering summoning Him."_

* * *

Harry stumbled on his way to the back kitchen and caught himself on the wall by the door, allowing himself to slide down it and place his head on his knees to try and stave off the dizzy spell that hit him.

"He's been here almost a month and this is the first time someone has died painfully. You have to commend him for his self-restraint, being a dark lord and all," Harry mumbled into his knees, breathing deeply when he felt his stomach give an unpleasant lurch.

_"Frank has gone to see what happened. Just stay there and catch your breath."_

"That was not fun. Is that going to happen every time he kills someone painfully? Because if so, I'm going to suggest once more that we leave."

_"It'll get easier. This was just the first time you have been within a few miles of this kind of thing. Eventually you won't even notice it beyond a small clench of the stomach."_

"Great. Shame I live near a Dark Lord who will probably be killing people left right and centre every day now. It's going to look weird if I collapse each time until I get used to it."

_"The Dark Lord didn't kill me."_  Harry jerked and looked up from his knees when he heard a deep, controlled voice of someone he'd never heard before.

"I'm guessing it was your death I just felt, Mr… Snape?" Harry asked, feeling out so he could find out what he could about his new visitor from the spirits presence.

_"Indeed, Mr Waterhouse, or should I call you Mr Peverell?"_

"Either works. Not like you can tell anyone what you now know. You could, of course, just call me Harry. Anyway, if he didn't kill you, who did? A pissed off Death Eater?" Harry asked, shakily standing up now that he felt a little less dizzy. He had things to make in preparation for tomorrow morning and didn't have the time to laze around on the floor.

_"I was poisoned, ironically. Not by a Death Eater, but by someone on the other side. I don't know who, but I have my suspicions."_

"Huh, how come the other side poisoned you?" Harry asked as he started to gather the ingredients he'd need.

_"I was a spy and I suppose someone either found out or suspected I wasn't as loyal as I wanted them to believe. Of course, the person I suspect poisoned me has never liked me even before I joined the Dark Lord, so who knows why he did it. Probably just to get rid of me finally._ "

"Well that sucks. So what has the Dark Lord found out about me recently now that I've moved his bugged chair outside?" Harry asked, grinning evilly at what he imagined the Dark Lord's reaction would have been to that.

_"He hasn't found much out that you don't know about. He has been more focused on Dumbledore recently. The old menace has been trying to pass a few laws that would mean every child with magic in Britain would have to attend Hogwarts and also wishes the ministry to do a sweep of the country to pin point every witch or wizard. Of course, that last one is a violation of privacy but Dumbledore doesn't seem to care. He's quite focused on finding someone and feels that would be the best way to find them._ "

"I bet I know who he's looking for. Shame he won't find me that way," Harry muttered with a shrug, rubbing the ingredients for pastry together.

_"Ah, but the old fool doesn't know that, does he? He thinks you're a wizard because your mother didn't believe you were a squib, regardless of the fact no Hogwarts letter arrived,"_  Ignotus pointed out and Harry nodded his head in agreement. He was constantly grateful that no one knew what a true necromancer was and therefore had no idea what to look for.

"Let's hope if he does get his way, that it makes him drop his hunt for me."

* * *

A few days after the death of Severus Snape - and the man had clearly taken some sort of liking to Harry as he had yet to leave him alone and go back to where Harry liked to call the Green Room of the Dead - and Harry was once again eating his lunch, this time a small salad, when the bell rang and a tall man with mousy brown hair Harry hadn't seen before walked in along with the annoyingly bratty blond and the brute of a man that was slowly becoming one of Harry's regulars.

"Hello," Harry welcomed warily, eyeing the three men and feeling highly uncomfortable at having three fully trained wizards in his shop, one of which was eyeing him like he was something scraped off the bottom of his shoe.

"I don't know why I had to be here," the blond muttered in a whiny voice that made Harry roll his eyes and be thankful his dark glasses hid it from the three, though the amused look on Marcus' face let Harry know he had guessed what Harry had done.

_"Ah, my delightful godson, Draco Malfoy. Along with Adrian Pucey and Marcus Flint. All heirs of prestigious pureblood families. Though Draco really does take the spoilt brat thing a bit too far. He liked to consider himself the nemesis of your older brother, actually, which is amusing considering Charlus was more focused on surviving whatever the Dark Lord threw at him and barely even noticed Draco. Much as Lucius would like to think otherwise, Draco never has been the brightest."_  Harry's lip twitched in amusement at Snape's caustic commentary about the three in front of him, and he mentally took note of their names, in particular Marcus', glad that Frank hadn't been wrong about the man's name.

"Back for more pie?" Harry asked, smiling brightly in hopes to hide the fact he was trying not to laugh. Draco just sneered at him whilst Marcus smirked and Adrian elbowed Draco to shut him up.

"Why are we in here with the crazy muggle?" Harry glanced at Draco before turning his attention back to Marcus and pretending he hadn't heard that. Not that he exactly blamed anyone for thinking he was crazy.

"I came for another cherry pie. And some eclairs," Marcus added, looking like he wasn't sure he should know why he had to buy more eclairs.

"Who wants eclairs?! Get me a strawberry tart, muggle."

"Er… right. So, a cherry pie, a strawberry tart and how many eclairs would you like?" Harry asked politely, hoping he looked like he had no idea what a muggle was. Although either way it sounded insulting.

_"As you've probably gathered, my godson is one of those bizarre purebloods who doesn't want muggles to know about us and yet walks around like the statute of secrecy is just for everyone else and what he says won't ever have any consequences. In short, he's a moron."_

"Six eclairs." Harry just nodded his head, and went about packing up the order for them, all the while silently wondering if Draco was aware his godfather thought he was a moron.

"Okay then, here's your order, that'll be five seventy then please," Harry told them as he handed over the boxes to Adrian whilst Marcus searched his pockets for money.

"We have to pay? What kind of place is this?"

"A shop," Harry pointed out, wondering if Snape wasn't being a bit too kind when calling the blond a moron.

"Do you know who I am?"

"No, do you know who I am?" Harry asked back pleasantly, smiling even as Draco glared at him and had to be held back by Marcus to do who knows what to Harry. Of course, were he to do something, then Harry would totally have no qualms against using his soul against him at a later date.

"My father will hear about this, you mark my words!"

"And he would be? Look, do you want the food or not? This place here, is a shop. You may not have heard of those before but they sell, meaning you pay money for, different goods. This shop,  _my_  shop, sells baked goods. Sells. Not gives away to pompous twats who think they own the world!" Harry snapped, talking to Draco slowly just incase the idiot didn't quite comprehend his words.

"Who do you think you are talking to like that?!"

"Someone who doesn't know what a shop is. And also, someone who is banned from this shop. Thank you for your custom, but please don't bring him back with you next time," Harry added politely as Marcus handed him the money and took the boxes of food.

"We won't. Sorry."

"You don't have anything to be sorry about. Blondie does," Harry told them with a small smile, getting one back in return as Adrian frog marched Draco out of the shop. Marcus then nodded at him and followed the other two out of his shop, leaving Harry alone to give a shaky sigh of relief and slump back into his chair. "That was tense."

_"You may have gained their attention even more now. Not many would dare to talk back to a Malfoy. Even most muggles can sense he is wealthy enough to cause them some trouble should they insult him,"_  Severus pointed out to him, only for Harry to just shrug his shoulders.

"I can do worse to him than he can do to me in the long run. Besides, the little brat needed a good dressing down! You're right, he is a total moron!" Harry muttered, scowling at the door as though daring Draco to come back.

_"Well, you are right. It would be child's play to you to kill him."_

"Oh no, I can't kill him. He would spend the rest of my life whining incessantly and probably calling me a peasant. So no, unless he dies hundreds of miles from me, then he has to stay alive for as long as I do. Of course, saying that, it doesn't mean I won't make his life miserable if he pisses me off again."

* * *

Once again Marcus was called to a meeting with the rest of the inner circle, though this time Adrian Pucey and Draco Malfoy were also called and Marcus couldn't help but wait for the Dark Lord's reaction to Draco screwing up. The annoyance needed taking down a peg or two.

"So tell me, does anyone have anything new to share about our little mystery in town? Did you manage to set a new charm in the shop? One that wouldn't so easily be moved outside of his shop?" The Dark Lord asked them, a dangerous note to his voice that told all of them he wasn't impressed by them so far. Which was part of the reason Marcus brought back eclairs each time he went there. It had so far saved him from a few Crucios.

"We did manage to put listening charms on his counter so he won't be moving that. However, there is one problem, My Lord," Adrian added nervously, glancing at the side to Marcus, who shrugged, whilst Draco seemed to get a bit paler, though still managed to look put out by the whole thing.

"Oh?"

"It might not be important, My Lord."

"Spit it out."

"What Pucey doesn't want to tell you, My Lord, is that Malfoy acted like a complete idiot and managed to get himself banned from the shop. He also went out of his way to insult the man and called him a muggle on a few occasions," Marcus said, shrugging when Draco glared at him, though Adrian gave a small, barely audible sigh of relief next to him.

"Draco, step forward," the Dark Lord said in a dangerously low and calm voice. Draco paled even further and took a shaky step forward. "What do you have to say?"

"M-My Lord, that… That muggle, he was rude! I was just… Letting him know his place!" Draco exclaimed, which just made Marcus roll his eyes and barely withhold the scoff he wanted to let out.

"Indeed. And how exactly is that helping us? In what way was he rude to you that justified practically telling him of the wizarding world? Tell me, Draco, does your account at Gringotts mean that you don't need a brain?"

"M-my lord!"

" _Crucio_." Marcus didn't bother hiding his smirk as the mini Malfoy fell to the floor screaming in pain. After a few minutes, the Dark Lord lifted the spell and sneered at the now whimpering Malfoy on the floor. "Marcus, set up the listening charm so that we can listen if he has any suspicions about us, and Draco, do shut up."

Marcus just smirked even wider as the mini Malfoy gave a feeble whimper before painfully dragging himself to stand and moving so that he was no longer in view of the Dark Lord. Marcus just sneered at him as he passed and then placed the small glass orb that he had linked the listening charm to and amplified it so they could all listen.

_"Thanks for coming! I'll make sure to have that cake ready for your niece's birthday, don't worry, Ms Cornet."_ They all heard the bell of the door ring and then the door closing, then there was silence for a few moments before the baker started to speak once more.  _"I don't see why he'd come here. It's not like there's a sign above the town saying 'here he is, come get him!'. Besides, only my mum knew where she left me and she's too pissed to tell anyone."_

There was another pause and everyone went quiet in hopes they could hear whoever it was he was talking to, though without any success.

_"I'm not summoning Him. No matter how much you badger me about it. I'd rather not piss Him off and die, thanks. And I don't care if that pompous little blond moron does come back here with his dear old daddy. I'd like to have a few words with the idiot that raised that twat to let him know what he'd brought on the world. Seriously, holding a pillow over that brat's face would be a service to mankind."_

There were a few snickers, though when either Malfoy turned to glare at a culprit, everyones faces were blank and showing no amusement at all.

_"No really, you'd get the Victoria Cross and everything! Wait, what's up? What? Oh for fucks sake! Back to the kitchen then."_  And with that they heard another door being closed and then silence, with a barely audible muffled conversation happening in what must have been the kitchen.

"He knows."

"My Lord?" Marcus asked, not entirely sure what the Dark Lord was talking about.

"He knows that we can hear what he says in the shop front. I don't know how, but he does. It also sounds like he may still have contact with his mother, and if we what we suspect about him being a squib is true, then she is going to be a witch. Which means he also knows about magic."

"What do you want to do now then, My Lord?" Barty Crouch asked, stepping forward a little and boxing when the Dark Lord looked at him.

"If he does know about magic, then he definitely knows about us. Especially with Draco spouting off about muggles. If that is the case, then he's going to be wary about us even if he doesn't know who we are. I think, right now, Marcus should carry on working on getting close to him. See what comes from that. The rest of us should focus on heading off Dumbledore on the new laws he is trying to subtly get passed. However, if we haven't made anymore leeway by the end of August, then we should move forward and question him on what he knows. We cannot afford to leave any loose ends. Especially now."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N - So, things are moving along a bit now and it's getting nearer to the point where he won't have a choice but acknowledge the wizarding world. Unless, of course, he risks pissing Death off and summons Him.
> 
> Oh, and if you were wondering, officially (in the muggle world) Harry is called Horatio Waterhouse. Officially amongst the dead, and were he to return to the wizarding world, Harry is called Horatio Peverell. He isn't, technically speaking, a Potter anymore.
> 
> Also, a few people in reviews mentioned Charlus as Harry's twin. He's not. To clear up confusion, here's Harry and his siblings dates of birth:
> 
> Charlus - 31st July, 1979 (yes, he's the boy who lived. Harry isn't.)
> 
> Harry – 31st October, 1980 (Due to the fact he was born after 31st August, he would have been two years below Charlus in school)
> 
> Rose and Dahlia – 7th December, 1983


	6. Chapter Five

**Sorry this is a little late! I got distracted by the Commonwealth Games! XD  
** **Enjoy this chapter!**

Chapter Five

Through most of July, Marcus became quite the regular in Harry's bakery, even going so far as to flatter Mrs Lovage and actually get Mr Plimkin to greet him once, which really was quite the accomplishment as it took Harry working every day after school for five years before the man even acknowledged him. If he didn't know better, Harry would have suspected that Marcus had put a spell on the habitants of Little Hangleton.

Actually, he  _didn't_  know better and that was a good possibility, but regardless of that fact, Harry was finding it really hard to dislike the man. He was sarcastic and snide, but so very hilarious with that caustic personality. Plus, he really seemed to like Harry's pies, and anyone that liked his food was good by Harry.

The only downside was that he was a wizard who possibly wanted to kill Harry. That would really clash with Harry's plans to have a long life. If he ignored all that though, then Harry was quite happy to finally say he had a living friend. Or at the very least someone alive who went out of their way to talk to him whilst paying for and eating baked goods.

Really then, it was just Fate's dodgy sense of humour that made it all come crashing down around him and forced Harry to show some of his cards.

It was the fourth day of August and Harry was enjoying a lie in for once, not having to wake up early to get ready for the shop as it was a Sunday and making the most of it. Unfortunately, a wave of freezing air washed over him, waking him up earlier than he had to and confusing him because it was currently sweltering outside.

_"You need to wake up now!"_  Harry jerked to sit up, sleepily blinking his eyes open when Antioch shouted at him.

"Wait, what? What's going on? It's Sunday, I don't have to get up," Harry whined, falling back down into his pillows and trying to get away from the evil dead waking him.

_"You need to wake up and get to Riddle Manor. It's time to decide! Dumbledore has found you and it is only a matter of time before he brings people here. It's only the early hour that is hindering him. Quickly now. You're not safe."_

"Well shit! What do I do? Where do I go?" Harry asked, and if asked later, he would fully admit that he was shit in tense situations and apparently lost all common sense.

_"Calm down. You have a bit of time. Dumbledore has only just called for reinforcement. Now, grab all your tools, books and crystals. Don't leave behind anything that could tip them off that you know about magic. That includes Horus. He needs to go live in the woods. You're lucky he's an indigenous owl."_

"There is nothing lucky about owning that owl. Besides, I'm fully aware that he owns me. What kind of barn owl just decides to live with a random human?"

_"You don't have time to rant, idiot boy!"_  Aunty Sylv hissed, making Harry flush guiltily and jump out of bed. He grabbed the first clothes he found that were clean - baggy black trousers that were at least two sizes too big and he really had no idea where he got them from, a black t-shirt and strangely, a pair of lime green trainers. He really had no clue as to when he got those.

Once he was dressed and his hair was brushed - causing a brief moment of pain when he forgot that he had beads in his hair and didn't move them out of the way, making him feel like he'd scalped himself when he dragged his brush over them. Tears were definitely brought to his eyes - he grabbed his backpack from the chair next to his bed, threw all of his knives in there - including the few he had yet to use - and the few candles he had, then ran down the stairs to his kitchen.

In there, he opened his clutter drawer and took out all the chalk in there he could find, a blood-stained silk cloth he used on some rituals -  _not_  the same one used during bead rituals - all the crystals he had bought on whims, and any herbs and incense sticks he kept on the sides and then he finally made his way into the living room, grabbing another bag on his way past.

When in there, he grabbed every book he had managed to buy on necromancy, death arts, death gods and death in general. He took the experimental voodoo dolls - not that he was a voodoo specialist, he just thought they were nice to look at and fun to make - from his desk and finally grabbed his authentic Venetian Plague Doctor mask that his aunt had bought him on his eighteenth birthday from where it was placed on the wall and slung it on his head before darting out of the front door.

_"Run to Riddle Cemetery! You'll be safe there! Run now!"_  Harry jerked in shock at hearing the voice of Severus for the first time in a couple of weeks before he nodded and ran towards his favourite cemetery, keeping to the slowly receding shadows and taking all the well known shortcuts and alleys until he finally reached the small family cemetery belonging to the creepy and intimidating Riddle Family.

As soon as he stepped over the threshold, he felt a slight pressure pushing against him before a shudder went through him and he stumbled forward, grabbing onto the nearest headstone to stop his fall.

"That's never happened before."

_"It was the wards. However, no one can prevent a necromancer access to a cemetery or burial plot. In the days when people knew what we were, no one was foolish enough to prevent us access to the dead,"_  Antioch added bitterly, which made Harry roll his eyes.

"That's great and all, but someone's going to know I'm here and I have no idea  _why_  I'm here other than the fact Dumbledore's found me," Harry hissed, tapping his fingers against the grave he was leaning on and shaking his head when he felt an eager tug on his magic. "Not now, Ernest."

"I would also like to know why you are trespassing on my land." Harry was ashamed to admit he shrieked like a little girl, jumping in the air and spinning around to face whoever had spoken, paling when he saw it was the Dark Lord himself.

_"Tell him you came for sanctuary."_

"Sanctuary?! Are you serious? This isn't the seventeenth century and he isn't a bloody priest!" Harry hissed, before a cough drew his attention back to Voldemort, who now had his wand out and was tapping it against his free hand. "Right. Sanctuary. Great. Look, that barmy old man, Dumbledore, has finally found out where I live. I have no idea how, but he has. Uncle Antioch told me to come here."

"And I'd help you, why? What makes you think I care that you are hiding from Dumbledore for whatever reason it is?"

"Er…"

_"Tell him you can help him!"_

"I can help! You. I can help you! In this war! I can help you in this war?"

"How? By baking our way to success?"

"Oh, that was low. I mean, it was a good shot, but mean at the same time. Look, I know you've been keeping an eye on me. Looking into my background, making your lackeys make friends with me in hopes you'll find out more. Well, here I am! Now you can find out more! Just, please, don't let that insane fool get me!" Harry pleaded, flinching when Voldemort took a step forward, wand held at his side as though to give false hope he wouldn't use it.

"You need to tell me how you can help me. And do it quick, I don't have much patience and it's coming to an end."

_"Tell him you can hear the dead! Don't tell him anything else, just that! They know you seem to hear voices, he should believe you."_

"I can hear the dead. Everyone that has passed away, whether naturally or not, within twenty-five miles of here, I can hear."

"How will that help me?" Voldemort asked after a second in which he narrowed his eyes at Harry suspiciously.

"Yeah, how will that help?!" Harry asked hysterically, throwing his hands in the air and glaring at nothing when he noticed Voldemort had raised his wand slightly.

_"Tell him the dead have no secrets! We have no need for them. Nothing tends to be worth protecting once you are dead and whatever we were hiding in life, you can't take with you in death."_

"Right," Harry nodded his head and swallowed loudly, before straightening his back and staring at Voldemort, "the dead don't care for secrets. Whatever they knew in life, they'll willingly tell me. And what they tell me, I'll tell you."

"How will that help me?"

"Look, when you're dead, things like magic and pureblood bollocks doesn't matter. You can't take the magic with you. You can't take the family properties or the heirlooms. Most importantly, when you're dead, you don't tend to hold grudges. I can tell you what the other side is up to. Plus, the dead gossip worse than little old ladies in the laundrette."

"You said that you only heard those that have died within twenty-five miles. How will it help me if no one with information dies near you?"

"I told you, the dead gossip! Just because I can't hear them, doesn't mean they don't speak to each other as well. They tend to tell me what they've heard. How do you think I know Dumbledore has found me? They told me!" Harry told him, pouting and crossing his arms over his chest petulantly when the man just raised an eyebrow at him, clearly not impressed. Harry was less impressed with his impending death.

"I give you a safe place to live, you will tell me anything important the dead tell you about?"

"Yep."

"Very well. Follow me," Voldemort told him, turning on the spot and walking back towards the manor, robes whipping around him in a dramatic way and making Harry wonder if he was just walking towards a holding cell.

Harry just took a deep breath however, and followed after the imposing man, really hoping that the man hadn't renovated and made his home the first manor in Yorkshire to have dungeons.

_"There ain't no dungeons in that house, lad._ "

"Great. That's good then," Harry muttered, not bothering trying to be discreet when talking to the anymore as he really didn't see any point. "Fuck!" Harry hissed just as someone grabbed his ankle and he fell over, only just missing taking Voldemort down with him, which he was sure would have been a sure fire way to die very quickly.

"What are you doing?"

"Er… I tripped on something," Harry told him nervously, smoothing his baggy trouser leg down and covering the skeletal hand that was now stroking his ankle.

"Get up, I don't have time for your dithering."

"Right. Got it. No dithering. Um… I'll er… be back. No, really, stop it. Please? Oh god, I'm going to be killed because the dead are chatty," Harry muttered, slapping at the hand still holding his ankle, before he heard a whispered apology and the hand disappeared back into the grave. Breathing a deep sigh of relief, Harry quickly scrambled to stand up and once more moved to follow behind Voldemort, who's irritation was practically palpable.

When they finally reached the Manor, Voldemort pushed the doors open and strode through them without a backwards glance, leaving Harry to pause at the door anxiously and glance back the way he'd come, hoping he wasn't about to make a big mistake.

* * *

Marcus wondered why they had all been called for a meeting early on a Sunday morning and why the Dark Lord looked a cross between excited and infuriated.

"You may be wondering why I have called you all so early. It is about Horatio Waterhouse. I have come across quite the informant."

"Do you need us to find out more about him then, My Lord?" Barty asked, apparently not listening to their Lord, Marcus thought with a roll of his eyes. Though he was curious as to what the Dark Lord had found out about Harry.

"No, Barty. There is no need. Mr Waterhouse came to me about an hour ago. It would seem that Dumbledore has been searching for him and finally found out where he lives. He came to me to hide him from Dumbledore."

"My Lord, may I ask why a muggle would need to hide from Dumbledore," Lucius asked, distaste of Harry clear in his tone, apparently he hadn't forgiven Harry for wanting to smother his idiot son.

"I have discovered why he is so strange, and yes, Lucius, if Dumbledore were to know about it, then he would want to control the boy. Apparently he saw me as the lesser of two evils," the Dark Lord told them, his amusement over the irony clear in his tone.

"May I ask what is so special about the muggle, My Lord?" Marcus' father asked, the man hadn't been all too impressed that his son had been told to befriend said muggle and Marcus hadn't told him that he'd actually started to like the man.

"The dead talk to him. He has told me that, in exchange for safety, he will tell me everything the dead tell him that he deems important," the Dark Lord told them all, making each of them gape at him.

"Surely he lies, My Lord!"

"Amusingly, he said you would be the one to say that, Lucius. Apparently Severus has taken a liking to him and has told him quite a bit about us all. He has said that the dead do not feel a need to keep secrets from him and that they like to gossip, so you should all take care not to annoy him. After all, there are plenty of dead people in all of your families that would seemingly be happy to tell him whatever he wants to know," the Dark Lord told them with a malicious smirk. Marcus grinned as he glanced out the corner of his eye at his father and the Malfoy's all looking a little pale.

"You're kidding, right? That muggle can speak to the dead? And why would Severus like him? He's insane!" Draco whined, making Marcus roll his eyes and wonder if it was an impossibility for the idiot to think before he spoke.

"I get the impression that Horatio doesn't like you. And considering he has already been told several family secrets by Abraxas, I would be very careful on how you treat him. Now, as he asked for safety, I granted him it and that means safety from you as well. If you cannot restrain yourselves from harming him in anyway, then do not go looking for him. And do not whine to me when it backfires. That man has the dead on his side, I would say you should all be very wary around him," the Dark Lord told them, smirking when many of the Death Eaters looked at one another anxiously. "You are all dismissed."

Slowly they all left the room, some talking to each other anxiously, clearly worried about what secrets the no longer harmless muggle baker could find out. Marcus watched them go before he was the only one left in the room and walked forward, bowing slightly before straightening.

"Marcus, is there a reason you are still here?"

"I was just going to ask where Harry is. I wouldn't mind going to see him. I have actually found that I quite like him. He might be clinically insane, but he's amusing and very intelligent."

"Very well. He should be either in his room on the third floor, the large room on the end of the corridor of he left wing, or he may be in the library. He seemed interested in that when it was mentioned."

"Thank you, My Lord," Marcus said, turning to leave the room, not wishing to stay in the Dark Lord's presence for too long in case he annoyed him somehow.

"Marcus," Voldemort called out, making Marcus stop before he left the room and turn to look at him, "keep an eye on him. If need be, protect the younger Malfoy from him."

"Er… Protect Malfoy from Harry, My Lord?"

"Yes, Draco may believe he is the better because he has magic, but there is a feeling to Harry that tells me he could be very dangerous if pushed. Draco is well known for antagonising the most saintly of people."

"You have a point, My Lord. I'll make sure to keep an eye on him."

"That is all I ask, Marcus. You may leave." Marcus nodded his head, then left the room and made his way to the library on the second floor, figuring it was on the way to where Harry's room was anyway.

* * *

"Right, so where is that then?"

_"It's the wall at the end of the third row of shelves on the right. I don't know what books are on them now admittedly but the layout of the library hasn't changed."_

"Okay. Why am I doing this again?"

_"You said you were bored. I told you about the secret room. Even if no one has found it yet, there isn't anything of import in there."_

_"It could be a good place to hide if no one knows about it,"_  Ignotus pointed out, making Harry nod his head and then head towards where Tom Riddle senior told him the secret room was.

"It could be a good place. So, any recommendations of books to read?"

"I'd answer, but I don't actually think you're asking me." Harry, for the second time that day, yelped and jumped in the air, before turning on his heels to face who had spoken, coming face to face - more like face to chest - with Marcus.

"Marcus! How are you? Fancy meeting you here? Um…"

"My Lord told me about you. In fact he told all of his closest followers. We've been warned not to harm you and told that you might be able to find out secrets about us?" Marcus asked, grinning down at Harry, who fidgeted where he stood and then moved to, what he hoped looked casually, lean against a shelf.

"Oh? Thats… okay, yeah, I know. You'll probably learn that's there not much I don't know. It's hard to keep secrets from me. Apparently Abraxas Malfoy was quite amused by his descendants reactions. Actually, Severus was very amused."

"I was amused. So, you can talk to the dead, huh?"

"Yep. Honestly, it's not all that great. They're really quite annoying. Always bickering and nagging at me. Though, they do help. I mean, it's thanks to them that I always made sure to have a cherry pie ready for the days you'd be coming by. And they tell me the favourite cakes and sweets of all the people in the town that might visit the bakery."

"Explains why you always seemed to have what I wanted. Except that one time."

"Yeah, I totally thought you'd want cherry pie. So, how come you're in here? You do know you don't have to pretend to be my friend now, right? The Dark Lord knows my secrets now."

"Not all of them, I'd wager."

"Nope, of course not. That wasn't the deal. The deal was the secrets of the dead, not the secrets of the living. And I'm still alive. And don't think I'll be telling you any either. You'll just run back to your lord and tell him," Harry said, trying to make a joke of it, but fearing he hadn't quite been able to hide the hurt he felt knowing that Marcus really had no need to talk to him anymore and so didn't need to pretend to like him either.

"That's fair. Though, I'm here to talk to you because I wanted to, not because the Dark Lord told me. I know I don't need to get close to you anymore, but I still want to. You amuse me."

"Fine. Though I get the feeling there's more to it than that."

"Well, the Dark Lord did tell me to stop you from maiming the Malfoy brat."

"Your Dark Lord is a clever guy."

"I'm still not entirely sure how someone without magic could best someone with it, but you're right, the Dark Lord is intelligent, so I'll assume he knows."

"Well, beside the fact a bullet moves just as fast, if not faster, than a spell, I have other ways to defend myself. So what do you actually do around here?" Harry asked, following Marcus to where there were a couple of comfortable looking chairs and sitting down in one, placing his bag that he refused to leave alone besides his feet.

"I'm the heir to a prestigious family, so I'm training to take over the family business and so on," Marcus told him, eyes glancing at Harry's bag curiously before drifting back to Harry.

"Sounds thrilling," Harry said, tone of voice telling that he thought it was anything but.

"Yeah, it's really not. But it's got to be learnt. So, what's in your bag?" Marcus asked him, smirking when Harry narrowed his eyes at him.

"Nothing," Harry told him defensively. Given everyone here just thought he could only talk to the dead, they'd be a little suspicious as to why he had the stuff he had in his bag.

"Really? Seems pretty full for there being nothing in there," Marcus pointed out with a grin, which just widened when Harry glared at him.

"Fine, there's stuff in there. It's none of your business what it is though," Harry told him snappishly, feeling irritated that it only made Marcus grin.

"Okay, I'll stop asking. How come you didn't go to Dumbledore? Most would choose the so called Lord of the Light over the Dark Lord."

"Most people are idiots. And also, most people can't talk to the dead. The main reason though, is that, even though they don't tend to carry their grudges over, the dead really don't like Dumbledore. They told me to come here. Dumbledore would have resented and hated my talent but he'd have used it and made me do things I don't want to do. Your Dark Lord respects death, to an extent, and he certainly wouldn't want to piss Death off."

* * *

Later that night, Harry quietly opened his bedroom door, wincing a little as it creaked but hurrying through it anyway. He carefully held his bag to his chest so that it didn't make any noise or bump into anything as he made his way through the shadowy corridors and down the stairs until he reached the door he had come in through. Glancing around him, he slowly pushed the door open and then slipped out through the gap when it was wide enough and slowly let the door close behind him silently.

Giving a happy sigh of relief that he'd made it through the foreboding house without being seen or stopped, Harry walked down the stone steps and made his way swiftly and silently to the cemetery.

In no time at all, Harry made it to his favourite grave - ironically the grave of Voldemort's father - and sat down, leaning against it with his bag resting against his thigh.

"It's quite tense in there, isn't it?" Harry pointed out, focusing his energy into the air around him for the first time since Voldemort had moved to Little Hangleton and grinning widely when the only family that were happy to acknowledge him appear before him as slightly smokey apparitions.

_"What exactly did you expect from the home of a Dark Lord?"_  His aunt asked him with a roll of her eyes, moving to sit carefully on a small headstone. Antioch, Ignotus and Cadmus all just rolled their eyes, as though nothing Harry came out with would shock them anymore.

"Well, I didn't expect kittens and candy canes, but, you know, I figured I wouldn't constantly be wondering when someone would try to curse me whilst screaming about magic eaters or something."

_"Magic eaters?"_  Antioch, strangely the brother Harry most looked like with his short bob of jet black hair and pale skin, and also the tallest of the three brothers at five foot five, asked him, looking as though he regretted it immediately.

"Well, I just figured there had to be a reason for the whole muggle hatred thing and thought maybe wizards believed muggles ate magic. Or something. It could happen," Harry muttered sullenly, looking down at his trainers and not seeing Cadmus pinch the brigade of his nose and sigh.

" _I sometimes worry about your mind,"_  Cadmus admitted, he, like his younger brother Ignotus, had mousey brown hair in a bob and pale skin. He was also the shortest brother and the same height as Harry at five foot three. Ignotus was only a couple of centimetres shorter than Antioch.

_"I've always worried about his mind. But then I wonder if it's not a family thing. My sister was completely off her rocker,"_  Sylv told them with a shrug, looking around her and rolling her eyes when she saw a hand poke out of a nearby grave like some macabre submarine periscope.  _"Why do the Riddles always think they can hustle in on a private conversation?"_

_"Common blood."_

"The manor behind me would suggest their blood is anything but common. You know, in the rush, I forgot to bring any spare clothes with me. Think I'd look good in a robe? I could totally carry off a robe. All swishy and shit," Harry added with a grin. "Plus, it would add something to the whole 'speak with the dead' feel I've got going, don't you think?"

"I think speaking to thin air is all you need to give a strange impression. What are you doing out here?"

Harry choked on air as he scrambled to stand up and face Voldemort, who was standing behind him looking bored and yet also lethal.

"Sweet googamooga! What the hell? You were facing him! Tell me when someone's creeping up on me like some sort of creepy stalker!" Harry exclaimed, turning to glare at his amused family. The dead really did suck at times.

_"But it's so amusing see you squeal like a little girl every time he manages to sneak up on you,"_  Sylv said, not an ounce of sympathy in her tone.

"You all suck!"

"What are you doing out here, Mr Waterhouse? I won't repeat myself again," Voldemort hissed, making Harry sneer at him before huffing and crossing his arms over his chest.

"I was having a family get together! Talking to my aunt, uncles and grandfather. That okay with you?" Harry asked sullenly, stretching the truth a little when it came to their relation to him and grinning when Antioch glared at Voldemort.

_"There was a time when necromancers were respected, you know. I think you should start reminding people why,"_ Antioch pointed out, whilst the other three just rolled their eyes, used to this rant.

"Why are you doing it out here? Can you not speak to the dead anywhere?" Voldemort asked him, unknowingly interrupting Antioch's rant and thus gaining an even more venomous glare from the dead necromancer.

"Actually, funny story there! See, apparently there are certain temples that the dead can't actually enter. Like Buddhist temples. Uncle Cad says that it's because all the dead people that would want to go into a buddhist temple are already being reborn. Of course, Uncle Ant says that Uncle Cad is an uncultured swine and he wouldn't be able to tell his arse from his elbow. No one actually knows why though."

_"You called me an uncultured swine?! You?! The man who gloated about his unbeatable wand, got drunk and got his throat slit! Oh yes, I'm the uncultured one!"_

_"I didn't gloat! I beat several men in duels in a row and one of them claimed I'd cheated because my wand was unbeatable! I didn't claim a thing though!"_

"Technically, the stories all say it was you that gloated," Harry pointed out, turning his back on Voldemort as he was dragged into the conversation with his uncles. Ignotus and Sylv just distanced themselves a little from all three of them and watched like they were watching the final of Wimbledon.

_"Yes, well, the stories were all written by liars! Liars and thieves!"_  Antioch yelled, cheeks becoming flushed with his anger and hair somehow gaining volume.

"Bit harsh. You don't know they were thieves."

_"Never gave back my bloody wand, did they?!"_

"Well, you were dead, weren't you? What were you gonna do with it? You're always going on and on about how you can't take it with you when you're dead, so why are you now bitching about thieves?"

_"The boy has a point, Antioch."_

_"The boy is an imbecile!"_

"Oh hey now! Don't go insulting me just because I have a - ow! What the fuck was that?!" Harry exclaimed, spinning around to glare at Voldemort whilst rubbing his lower back that was now stinging.

"That was a warning. Do not ignore me or I will do much worse to you next time," Voldemort warned him, eyes narrowing when Harry just pouted and rubbed his back.

"Fine, fine. You try to ignore them though. So what else did you want, besides to hustle in on a family meeting. A family you are not a part of," Harry pointed out, silently agreeing with his aunt about nosey Riddles.

_"Technically I did marry his great-great something aunt. Why her nephew turned my stone into a ring, I don't know. Clearly he had no idea what it was."_

"Shut up! Let's try not to get me cursed, okay? So, you were saying?" Harry asked Voldemort, smiling inanely when he saw the glare on the man's face.

"You are trying my patience, Muggle. Now tell me, why do you have to talk to them here, where you are constantly setting off my wards, instead of in the room I gave you?"

"Oh, right, well, I guess I feel more comfortable here."

"You feel more comfortable here, in a cemetery, than in the large bedroom I gave you?" Voldemort deadpanned, looking like he didn't believe a word Harry was saying. His family snickering behind him didn't help.

"Well, when you put it that way, it does sound a bit weird. But well, I grew up here in this town. And the living tend to steer clear of me, or they did when I was younger. So my only friends, if you like, were the dead. Their voices are louder in graveyards and burial grounds, and those that were buried there tend to accept that I want to have a conversation with my family, so they leave me alone," Harry admitted with a shrug.

_"You should probably tell him that the Ministry is planning a surprise raid on Malfoy Manor due to a tip off that they were harbouring the Lestranges there,"_  Ignotus suddenly spoke up, having faded away for a second, clearly to find out about the raid.  _"He did want you to tell him anything important, after all, didn't he?"_

"That's true," Harry agreed with a nod before he turned to face Voldemort once more, "Apparently the ministry are going to raid Malfoy Manor in hopes of finding the Lestranges there."

Voldemort narrowed his eyes at him, before nodding. "Do they happen to know when the raid will take place?"

"Abraxas thinks it will be in about four hours time. They're aiming for five in the morning to catch them off guard," Harry told him after Ignotus got the information from Abraxas. He had no idea where Abraxas had found out the information.

"I shall inform the Malfoy's then."

"Oh! If you don't want to tip off the Ministry that you have someone on the inside, so to speak, then you should probably make sure the Malfoys are in their manor at the time of the raid. Just make sure anything incriminating, like escaped convicts, aren't found," Harry told him with a wide grin, which just grew when Voldemort glared at him.

"Strange as it may seem to you, Mr Waterhouse, but I am not completely incompetent."

"I never said you were," Harry muttered, watching as Voldemort just sneered at him and then stormed off back to his manor. Harry just snickered and then turned back to his amused family. "I feel it is going to be amusing living here. Scary as shit, admittedly, but still amusing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N - Another chapter! And, though I may be seeing things, I do believe there are hints of an actual plot! I know, shocking, right? If anyone's wondering why Voldemort is calling Harry a muggle, well for all he knows he is one. They've got suspicions that he might be a squib, but given they've found out Harry can speak to the dead, it's also highly likely that he's just a very talented (and weird) muggle. And no, they don't know for sure that he is a Potter. Voldemort suspects he might be, but they don't have any solid proof either way other than the sunglasses. Which is pretty shitty proof.
> 
> Oh, and in case you're wondering, the ritual that brought Voldemort back didn't take place in Little Hangleton in this fic. It'll be explained a bit more later, but for now, just know it couldn't be done here. Frank was still killed and he did take a bone from his father's grave though.
> 
> Also, someone reviewed to let me know you can get prosthetic contact lenses for photophobia. That may be true, but I don't know about them and they're probably expensive - I'm doubting the NHS will give you them. Plus, Harry's photophobia is part of his species, those contacts may well hinder him. *Grins* Thanks for the info, but they won't work for Harry.
> 
> Well, you know the deal, let me know what you think! :D


	7. Chapter Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N - This is the last weekly chapter, I'm afraid! No worries, I'll still be updating every other week, just yeah, I won't be able to write as much in coming weeks! Sorry! :(

Chapter Six

As the week passed, the Death Eaters became used to seeing Harry walking around seemingly having a conversation with himself, though it wasn't a regular occurrence as Harry generally stuck to either the library or the cemetery. He had decided, however, that since everyone in the manor knew he spoke to the dead, he wasn't going to bother pretending he couldn't hear something they couldn't see. Plus, he'd noticed that evidence of his - even in the wizarding world - creepy talent made many of the Death Eaters give him a wide berth. He had also noticed that he had yet to bump into either Malfoy. He wasn't sure if that was deliberate or just luck.

Right that moment, on his eighth day at Riddle Manor, Harry could be found walking slowly through the hallways of the manor snickering and talking to himself. Or some random ghost. There were a couple of Death Eaters who honestly couldn't tell you which as Harry did seem crazy enough to have a full conversation with himself.

"So you're telling me that they shove an old hat on their head and allow it to read their minds?" Harry asked incredulously, snickering in delight as the passing wizards stared at him in affront as some realised what he was talking about.

_"Yes, they don't seem to see anything wrong with it."_  Severus told him dryly, clearly telling Harry his opinion on the matter as he walked beside him - Harry having pushed a small amount of energy into the man so he could finally see him.

"Right. And then, at the age of eleven, they're segregated into houses that supposedly suit their personality. At  _eleven_. They're supposed to know what they want in life at eleven?! I couldn't even decide between a Snickers or a Twix at eleven, never mind which house to be sorted into that would shape me and how everyone viewed me for the rest of my life!"

_"I did say that wizards are completely nonsensical."_

"Maybe it's the magic. Maybe magic just totally fucks with your brain and makes you batshit crazy," Harry said, grinning widely at the insulted looks he got with that statement. Severus though just nodded.

_"It's probably a good theory. Now, did you still want to learn potions?"_  Severus asked him, making Harry shrug and glance at the tall man out of the corner of his eye.

"I suppose. You sure I don't need magic for that? Because well, that would be a bit pointless if you do."

_"I assure you that you don't need magic to make potions. Well, the basic potions. There are some that need some sort of magic to work, but the main ones can be made by anyone. Besides, your kind of magic may well work in the case of the potions that do need magic."_

"Right, well, maybe we can consider that at a later date. Now, I'm guessing we need like a chemistry lab or something," Harry said, pausing in his trek in case he was going in the opposite direction to said needed lab.

_"Something like that. We'll need a potions lab."_

"Ah, right. Guess I should ask El Dark Lord where it is then and if it's free, huh?" Harry asked, ignoring the scandalised looks he was getting from passing Death Eaters.

_"El Dark Lord? I thought you could speak various languages,_ " Severus drawled, sneering at him then rolling his eyes when Harry just grinned at him.

"I do. Dead languages. You know, like Old English, Scots, Gallic and shit like that. Languages the dead people around me speak. I've never yet met a dead Mexican. But when I do, I'll make sure to ask them what Dark Lord is in their language. So, off to make Potions then? This should be fun! Ooh! Can we make explosions?"

_"If you're anything like your dunderheaded brother, then there's no doubt there'll be explosions,"_  Severus muttered, looking disturbed at the mere thought.

"Hmm… you know, we did have fun making things explode when we were kids. Yeah, that was fun. Right, Dark Lord! Potions!" Harry said and pushed away from the wall he was leaning on and headed back towards where he guessed the Dark Lord might be. "I'm guessing the library."

_"You could ask me."_

"You know? Right, where is he?"

_"With a few other Death Eaters in the second dining room on the ground floor,"_  Severus told him, walking towards the stairs. Harry just nodded and followed after him, excitedly thinking about making potions, something he'd never been able to do when he actually lived with wizards as he was considered too young. And a squib.

* * *

Marcus had been told by a very exasperated the Dark Lord that their Death speaking muggle was currently learning about potions, being taught, they all assumed - though Harry hadn't actually told them - by Severus Snape. After being told this, the Dark Lord had then order Marcus to go check that the potions lab was still there and Harry was still alive.

So Marcus was now heading towards the Potions lab, passing the occasional Death Eater muttering under their breath about insane muggles calling them crazy - Marcus just knew there was going to be an amusing story behind those mutters - and then came to a stop in front of the door to the lab.

It was only the knowledge that there was a silencing ward around the room that stopped Marcus from feeling nervous at the silence. Taking a deep breath, he steadied himself for some sort of disaster and walked in the room.

"So… adding these when the cauldron is over the flame would be a bad idea, why?" Harry asked the room, holding what looked to be porcupine quills in his hand and a look on his face that told everyone witnessing it that he was just dying to put the quills in the cauldron now. Marcus couldn't help the flinch as he thought of the reaction. "Right, explosion… again though, why is that a bad thing?"

"Because it would cover you and you would then be covered in sore blisters," Marcus told him quickly, hoping that would be a good reason not to cause an explosion. Harry spun on the spot and smiled brightly when he saw him standing in the doorway, thankfully he placed the quills back on the desk and took the cauldron off of the flame. Which was coming from a strange cylinder style container that Marcus had never seen before.

"Marcus! How are you? Oh, and Severus wants me to tell you thank you and that er… huh… and that you can now teach me potions as he's realised apparently dead people can have high blood pressure. Hey! That's just not nice! And you can't bloody have high blood pressure! Don't go hiding off you wimp!" Harry shouted at the ceiling, before huffing and stomping his foot, then turning back to face Marcus, this time with a pout in place of the smile.

"Potions not going well then?'

"He called me a dunderheaded blithering idiot who wouldn't know the difference between aconite and wormwood! I thought they were the same bloody thing!" Harry exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air. "And then he took points from Gryffindor! What the bloody fuck did he do that for?!"

"Er… Right. Well, Snape always was a little er… set in his ways. He takes potions quite seriously, so if you didn't show much talent in the subject, he'd not really have much patience with you."

"Who said I didn't show talent! I already brewed the forgetfulness potion, which is completely useless if you ask me. Just whack someone over the head or give them rohypnol if you want them to forget something. Don't bother faffing around for an hour and a half stirring this way and that and hoping to god you get it right. I mean, sure, both the other methods are technically illegal but… er… laws don't really seem to be your groups thing. Besides, it's only illegal in my world, the muggle world, so you wizards seem to think you are above those laws, so why not? Er… is there a reason you're here?" Harry finally asked, looking at Marcus as though only just realising he was actually there.

"Dark Lord sent me to make sure you hadn't blown the place up."

"Yes well, as you can see it's fine. Not that I didn't try! Severus really wasn't up for making cauldrons explode. Spoilsport," Harry muttered, crossing his arms over his chest and huffing.

"I've never yet met a potions master who liked explosions."

"Huh. Actually, I have. Well, sort of met. Well, spoke to.  _Well_  he wasn't exactly a potions master. Or a wizard…" Harry trailed off and grinned sheepishly at the incredulous look Marcus was giving him.

"So, you haven't either?" Marcus asked him slowly, watching warily as Harry quickly cleaned everything away and then moved over to him.

"Technically no, but he did make potions and he did like explosions! Anyway, apparently there's a pissed off snake behind you and she er… wait, what?"

"What?" Marcus asked, slowly turning around and backing up a little when he saw Nagini hissing at him and sounding, as Harry said, a bit annoyed. He grabbed Harry and shoved the man behind him, well aware that the muggle apparently had absolutely no common sense.

"Oh! Right. Er… Marvolo - the actual Marvolo, not your Dark Lord - says that the snake is looking for food and er… her master said to look down here. Let's hope he didn't mean us, huh?" Harry said cheerfully, patting Marcus on the shoulder in what Marcus assumed he had meant as reassurance.

"You speak parseltongue?"

"Nope, but Marvolo does. Just make a mouse go poof!"

"Poof?"

"You know! Appear!"

"You can't conjure living creatures without a specific spell," Marcus told him dryly, mentally bemoaning having a conversation with someone who knew nothing about magic.

"Not what I've heard. But fine. Offer yourself up then because I don't want to die and you're useless at magic apparently!" Marcus' jaw dropped in shock and he spun around to stare at Harry in horror.

"Why the hell should I die?"

"Why should I? Besides, we're fine, the grumpy snake is moving on. Apparently she didn't like the scent of me… hey! What's wrong with my scent?!" Harry shouted out after the snake, making Marcus just sigh and roll his eyes.

"Stop bringing her attention to us. She's evil and will have no trouble killing either of us, and if we hurt her, we might as well kill ourselves before the Dark Lord finds us," Marcus hissed at him, yanking Harry away from the door and slamming it shut before Nagini could change her mind and come back to eat them.

"Why does he have a dangerous pet that eats people running lose in the house?" Harry asked after a moment or two, getting an incredulous look from Marcus.

"He's the Dark Lord, why does he need a reason?"

"Huh. True," Harry said with a shrug, before he suddenly turned his head to the side and pursed his lips. "Right, I think we need to go to the Dark Lord. Like, right now."

"Er… why?"

"I've just received some news from Abraxas that he would need to know. Oh, and someone called Valterri Flint says to just do as you're told and stop slouching so much, you look common," Harry added after a moments pause, smiling brightly when Marcus just gaped at him.

"You… spoke to my grandfather?"

"If he was called Valterri Flint, then yes, I did. Come on, let's go find your Dark Lord and tell him what I know."

* * *

Harry followed behind Marcus as they entered the room that Lord Voldemort was in, Harry nibbling on his lip and dreading the reaction he was going to get for his information.

_"There's not a lot he can do to you, dark magic doesn't exactly work the same on you, you know,"_  Ignotus told him soothingly, making Harry stumble and fall into Marcus' back, blushing and grinning when Marcus looked at him over his shoulder.

"Wait, what? Really?"

_"Yeah, didn't we tell you? Hmm, must have slipped our minds. In our defence, we didn't expect you to come face to face with possible dark magic this early in life."_

"Yeah? Well you all suck and should share this kind of shit with me," Harry stopped in what he was saying by an impatient cough grabbing his attention. He looked up to see Lord Voldemort and several masked Death Eaters all looking at him and Marcus expectantly. "Oh, right, hi!"

"You needed to see me, Mr Waterhouse?"

"Yes! Yes I did. Um… I have a message from Abraxas. Just… the people here, you trust them all implicitly, right?" Harry asked, nibbling on his bottom lip and praying he wasn't about to find out how dark magic reacted to his own magic, though noting that one of the Death Eaters seemed to perk up at the mention of Abraxas.

"This is my inner circle of followers, Mr Waterhouse. I trust these above any of my other followers. So do not worry about what you will be telling us leaving this room," Voldemort told him in his sibilant voice, making Harry restrain himself from shuddering a little.

"Right, well two things that are related. One, Abraxas said that you apparently have a spy. He heard that from someone called Orion? I dunno. Anyway, Orion then told Abraxas that the spy has told Dumbledick about me. Which totally sucks, by the way. I mean, really fucking sucks. But hey, I was hiding from the decrepit old fool anyway! The point is though, a) you have a spy and b) because of said spy, Dumbledore has decided they really need me on their side. Apparently me living here with you delightful people isn't enough of a hint to him that I'm not interested in his games," Harry told them, scowling at the mere thought of Dumbledore.

_"I did tell you he was a menace. He's been hankering after your cloak for as long as I can remember. Shame it seems to have disappeared, isn't it? Wonder where it went."_ Harry rolled his eyes at Antioch's drawl and scoffed loudly.

"Whatever, like you don't know where it is. You're dead, you can certainly get into Gringotts without being caught. Now stop talking bollocks and tell me something useful," Harry snapped, ignoring the interested looks he was getting from Voldemort and the Death Eaters.

"That is not the first time you have mentioned Gringotts. How does a muggle know of our bank?" One of the Death Eaters asked, making Harry roll his eyes and look at Voldemort incredulously, which was admittedly a bit lost behind the glasses on his face.

"Really? This is your elite? Oh dear. The dead talk to me. Whether they've got magic or not. Hence me knowing this shit and talking about Abraxas and Orion. Because, even in the dark ages, those are not normal muggle names. Not saying they're bad, mind, just not muggle," Harry added hastily just in case he insulted one of the wand wielding powerful idiots in front of him.

"Yes, sometimes I wonder how they've made it this far as well," Voldemort drawled, sneering at the foolish Death Eater who spoke out. Harry grinned when the Death Eater then flinched and shrank back from Voldemort. "Now, do you know what Dumbledore plans to do?'

"Orion seems to think they'll currently just be scoping out Little Hangleton, which totally sucks because it means thats another week at least going by where my bakery is shut. Do you know how much money I'm losing?"

_"Why are you whining about money? You'll never be poor. You know where all the hidden treasure and riches are in Britain. Probably the world if you travelled a bit. So stop whining and giving the man a reason to curse you! Neutral and light magic still affects you normally!"_

"Shh, Dark Lord meeting in progress. Quiet time now from those without a pulse," Harry snapped suddenly, glancing at Marcus when he snorted in amusement, looking just as shocked that he'd done it as Harry was.

"As you asked for my protection from Dumbledore, I cannot allow you to reopen your bakery yet. Stop whining before I get annoyed and forget about your safety and comfort," Voldemort told him mildly, which was a touch more menacing than it would have been if he'd yelled it.

"Right. No on the whining then. Okay. Got you. By the way…"

"No."

"I didn't even ask! You didn't give me a chance! Christ, you're like the dead! They never let you get a word in edgeways either! And don't even get me started on talking to dead seers! They're nothing but trouble! Having someone answer your question before you even thought it is just off-putting," Harry ranted, before stopping and swallowing heavily at the look Voldemort was sending him.

"You can speak to seers? And they still know of the future?"

"Er… well, yeah. Not right now, mind because no seer has died near enough and none of your followers are connected close enough to a dead seer," Harry admitted with a shrug, snickering when Antioch drawled about how surprising that was given how inbred they all were.

"What do you mean close enough?" A Death Eater asked, one that was actually female going by her voice and possibly more insane than he was if you went by the manic glint in her eyes visible through her mask.

"Oh right, well, I can hear those that have died within twenty-five miles of here, but I can also hear those that are related to me and those related to anyone close to me. Though, I mean directly, like your name has to have been directly connected to theirs somehow on your family tree. So I can't hear second cousins or anything. Just parents, grandparents and so on. If you're in the same house as me, then chances are I can talk to your dead relatives," Harry told them with a shrug, grinning suddenly when a few shifted uncomfortably.

"Any dead relative?" Another Death Eater asked, moving forward a little to stand next to the crazy lady one.

"Yep, as long as there is a direct link from you to them on your family tree. Well, unless you killed them, then they might hunt me down to talk to anyway. And by talk I mean bitch, whine, moan and generally be annoying. So, hold off on killing relatives, yeah?"

_"Too bloody late for that! My own bloody son killed me!"_

"To be fair, you did abandon him," Harry said, not noticing the sharp look Voldemort sent him.

_"His bloody mother jinxed me into loving her! Did you ever see her?! Did you?!"_

"Guess it's a good job he got your looks then. Right! I've told you what I know, so I'm going to head to the library, I guess. Um…"

"Yes?" Voldemort drawled, looking a little murderous for reasons Harry couldn't quite fathom.

"If I say what I've just been told, can you promise not to curse me?"

"They promise."

"Right. Um… Orlav said Antonin has been forgetting his roots and now his Russian is shit. That's all! Bye now!" Harry said quickly, running from the room before the Death Eater called Antonin could get over his shock and curse Harry regardless of the promise his Lord had made. "You really are going to get me shot."

_"Unlikely. I doubt any of them would even know which way to point a gun, never mind how to fire it,"_  Frank said dryly, getting a snicker from Harry even as he darted into the library. Harry glanced around the room quickly and gave a relieved smile when he saw no one.  _"If you want to get into the room without anyone knowing about it, you had better move. That Marcus lad is quickly making his way here."_

"Right," Harry said with a nod, before darting down the right aisle of books and coming to a stop in front of a blank wall. Leaning his back against it, he slammed the wall with his fist, grinned when he heard a click and then shoved back. The wall gave a slight sigh as it shifted back an inch and then slid away slowly to reveal and small square space, just big enough to hold a comfortable chair, small desk and a few shelves on the wall for books.

Harry quickly stepped into the room, turning to push the wall back into place behind him and smiling when it shut. He was so thankful that he had managed to keep this room hidden from the wizards so far. It was quite nice knowing that there was somewhere he could go to be alone if he wanted. Well, alone in terms of the living.

"So how are things with my family?" Harry asked, once he'd sat down and asked Frank to keep an eye out for anyone coming close to discovering him.

_"Your brother is constantly struggling with the strain of everyone's expectations. Your mother is no longer really talking to your father and is trying her hardest to find ways to get your brother out of the war, your father is still stuck up Dumbledore's arse and your little sisters are fine, they finally graduated from Hogwarts last month, and your mother has told them to go travelling around the world for a bit before settling down,"_  Sylv told him, making Harry smile a little, happy that his mum was trying to protect the rest of his siblings.

"Are Dahlia and Rose going to take her advice? Please tell me they will."

_"They are. Your mum placed a substantial amount of money into each of their vaults that should last them for at least six months. I believe they are going with a couple of friends. I don't know where they're thinking of going first though."_

"Okay, think Aunt Dorea and Uncle Charlus will be happy to watch over them and let me know if they're in trouble during their trip?" Harry asked, looking to Ignotus for an answer this time.

_"They have been watching over them since you asked them ten years ago, I do not see why they would stop now. John and Elizabeth Potter are, of course, watching over Charlus."_

"What about Tel?"

_"You know he is still with your brother. Now, what are you plans now Dumbledore knows for sure that you are here? It won't be long before Voldemort finds out you're a Potter, then what?"_

"But I'm not!" Harry whined, huffing and crossing his arms over his chest, only just stopping himself from stomping his feet.

_"By birth, you are. Just because you took up the name Peverell, does not mean you aren't related to the Potters. You have been taking steps to watch over and protect your siblings since you were six. What will happen if he finds out about it? I can tell you that he won't be impressed,"_ Cadmus told him, raising an unimpressed eyebrow at Harry's small hissy fit.

"True. I don't know! I don't want to fight in this stupid war! Neither does he! It's all fucking Dumbledore's fault! Once he's gone, then he can finally be bloody free, can't he? And I can finally see them!"

_"Your sisters think you're dead."_

"Well, as it has been said before, reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated."

_"We need to plan. And you need to do another ritual."_

"Why? I don't need another bead yet."

_"You need to make some proper casting bones. For that you will need to gather the knuckles of various people. I will tell you where I am rested so you can get mine,"_ Ignotus told him, making Harry gape at him before he smiled brightly.

"Really? I get to make them finally?"

_"Yes, you are not quite a master just yet, but we all felt it was time. He is impressed with how you have developed. Your newest bead is just one sign."_

"Still, you're going to let me use some of your knuckles? Yours?!" Harry asked, stunned and a little in awe at the thought.

_"Yes, we'll ask around for anyone else who will offer their bones for you. You will need to bathe before it though. And don't forget that even though Lughnasadh has passed and you missed that, you still should celebrate Mabon."_

"Er… it's the beginning of August. We have a good month before Mabon. No need to worry about that yet. Who knows what will happen before then with the Dumbledore thing."

_"He has a point, you know. Now, given I died only two years ago, you obviously can't use my bones, but I will tell you where your great-grandfather is buried. We'll have to get his bones late at night, but I suppose the same could be said for all,"_ Sylvia pointed out, making Harry grin at her whilst Ignotus just rolled his eyes at the two.

_"Well, we have ten days until the full moon in order to get permission and volunteers, so to speak. We will work on it on our end. You just need to make sure you stay alive that long."_

"Right, ten days. So how come I haven't bumped into any werewolves yet, you'd think I would have by now."

_"Probably a good thing that you haven't. Since your seventeenth birthday, you will now smell of death to them. That would bring up some questions you don't want to answer."_

_"Sorry to interrupt, laddy, but a group of young men just walked into the library. Thought I'd let you know as they will probably hear you talking if they come down the aisle outside."_

"Ah, thanks, Frank. Guess I should do a bit of reading, huh? Because I can guess just who is outside in the library now and I really don't want to face him."

_"Probably the best idea. Read that book on runes you found the other day, the one in Gaelic. That should be interesting and may be useful,"_ Antioch told him, motioning for the book he was talking about in the small pile on the desk. Harry just nodded, already able to hear loud voices outside - apparently wizards didn't know you were quiet in libraries - and picked up the book in question. Though his excitement about the upcoming ritual just made it harder to concentrate on a language he wasn't all that great at reading in the first place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N - Hmm, quite a short chapter I'm afraid, sorry, just thought this was the best place to end this. Still, a little more about what Harry can do has been answered and if you were wondering, Harry is only pagan in the sense that he follows a religion that not many others do (in fact, he's currently the only one). Necromancy, as well as being his species, is also his religion in a way. Death is his God. It just so happens that all those pagan holidays happen on magically powerful nights of the year. He doesn't celebrate them all, and he doesn't celebrate them in the traditional way for those that are savvy on what people do on those days.
> 
> You also got to hear more about his family. Harry's feelings about his brother are mixed. He loves him and wants to protect him, but when he was younger he blindly followed Dumbledore like his father, so Harry resented that a little. Now Charlus is older however, and Lily is whispering things in his ear and showing him the truth of how he's been manipulated.
> 
> If anyone was wondering, there is a difference between a cemetery and a graveyard. Not that anyone has brought it up. Just thought it was an interesting little fact. I should add more of these things. See how many people actually read the authors notes. *Grins* Maybe a blatantly made up 'fact' or factoid (apparently actually means a fact that is wrong and therefore not a fact) to see if I get any indignant reviews about how I talk absolute bollocks… Two facts in this chapter. Three if you count the one about the dictionary definition of a pagan being someone who follows a god/religion that is not one of the main world religions. Paganism isn't one religion. Sorry to burst so many bubbles there. *Snickers*


	8. Chapter Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please stop reviewing just to say this should be Tom(Voldemort)/Harry. It's not going to happen. They'd end up killing each other. You know they would. *snickers*
> 
> On a different note, this is my favourite chapter so far… Oh, and I guess you could say this ends on something of a cliffhanger. Of course, you could also say it doesn't. Totally up to you. ;D

Chapter Seven

Harry did, much to the surprise of many, manage to survive for the next ten days, and so when it came to the twenty-second day of August - the day there would be a full moon - Harry was sitting in the library, not his secret cubby hole, reading a random book about potions ingredients as recommended by Marcus, and trying his hardest not to fidget in his seat and garner Marcus' attention.

_"It's time. You need to go cleanse."_  Harry jumped a little when he heard Ignotus speak, before he closed his book - not bothering saving the page as he hadn't really taken any of it in anyway - and standing up.

"Going somewhere?"

"I need to bathe."

"Pardon?" Marcus asked him, looking as though he wasn't sure he'd heard right.

"I need to bathe."

"Right. Thought you said that. Er… it's only seven in the evening. Surely it's a bit early for a bath," Marcus pointed out, looking out of the window to see a bright sky.

"Not if I want time. I'm going to be away for a while. Tell your master that he's going to have to wait for me to get back if he needs me for anything, and not to worry, I'll be perfectly safe," Harry said with a small nod, hoping he'd left no room for argument.

"Wait a minute!" Apparently there was room for argument. Harry sighed and paused by the door, looking at Marcus questioningly. "One, he's my Lord, not my master and two, you can't leave! You're here hiding from Dumbledore! What if he gets you when you leave?"

"I don't think Dumbledore is one to sit around in a town centre and hope his victim passes by. In fact, the dead have told me he's currently eating lemon drops of all things in his office. Now, excuse me, I have to bathe! Oh and er… could you give me a head start? You know, like tell your Lord in about an hour. Please?" Harry asked, realising that it would be awkward to have the Dark Lord burst into your bathroom whilst you're having a bath.

"How do you know you'll be safe?"

"Because I do! It's the night of the full moon! The dead are super sensitive tonight so they're even more aware of Dumbledore's actions, so in turn, I am too! Trust me on this, I'll know the second Dumbledore thinks about tracking me down. Hell, I'll know before he thinks of it because I'll get a seer to keep an eye on him. Happy?"

"Why don't you do this permanently instead of relying on the Dark Lord?"

"It's wearing. The dead actually do need rest, hence the rest in peace schtick. And it wears me down as well. I can't constantly be alert. However, for one night, I can be. Please, Marcus. I won't ask anything else of you, just this. Please?" Harry asked, fully aware he was begging though his glasses totally hindered his puppy-dog eyes.

Marcus just stared at him with narrowed eyes before he sigh and slumped in his chair. "Fine, but if he finds out before the hour is up and catches you, I don't want to be involved."

"Promise! I won't mention you at all should I be caught! Cheers!" Harry called out before running out of the library and to his room. "We've got until three in the morning, right?"

_"Yes, that is the time to link them to you. Now, you need to bathe for twenty-seven minutes. Don't forget to put the salt in the water this time."_

"Yeah yeah, man you forget the salt one time and no one ever lets you forget. I should add hyssop as well, right?" Harry asked as he entered his room and made his way to his en suite.

_"Yes, you will need to hold your breath for the last three minutes and submerge all of your body in the water. I will let you know when it is time,"_  Ignotus told him. Harry just nodded as he started to run the bath, thankful that it was possibly the most indulgent bath he'd ever seen and he could possibly swim in it if he put his mind to it, at the very least he could comfortably submerge his entire body in the water. As it was filling with barely tolerable hot water, Harry added what he felt was almost his body weight in salt - it wasn't, but Harry liked to whine when he could - and a few drops of hyssop oil. He then quickly stripped - when you've grown up talking to dead bodies, you didn't tend to feel shy in their presence - lit a few candles, two white for spiritual enlightenment and cleansing, and one silver/grey to enhance his psychic ability. Well, he was pretty sure talking to dead seers wasn't technically his own psychic ability, but he'd learnt about this ritual years ago and Antioch had been insistent on using that colour candle.

When everything was in order, Harry stepped into the bath, hissing at the heat and mentally praying that he didn't pass out again when he left the bath, he submerged himself in the fragrant water until only his head was out of the water and then just relaxed and closed his eyes.

Harry was almost asleep in the bath by the time Ignotus got his attention once more,  _"It is time to submerge your head as well, Horatio."_

"Wha? Oh, right, okay. See you in three minutes," Harry said, blinking a couple of time before taking a deep breath and ducking his head under the water. He had found it a little weird at first, when he was fourteen and the Peverell brothers all insisted that he learn to hold his breath for as long as he could. Now it totally made sense and by the time the second minute passed - he was mentally counting - he was regretting not keeping up with the practice as his lungs were screaming at him to breathe.

_"You can come up now, Horatio!"_ Harry launched himself out of the water, gasping at air and near hyperventilating he was so desperate for air.

"Oh Christ. Okay, I get it, practice more. No need to look so damned smug," Harry finally managed to gasp out, glaring at the smug spirit.

_"Maybe now you'll listen to us. You'll find cleansing baths will become much more common now. Right enough whining from you, get dressed in well fitting clothing and you'll need to braid two plaits either side of your face, then you'll need your agate, lapis and garnet knives. Bring along a couple of diamonds, some hematite, amethyst and obsidian as well, can't hurt to have them. Oh, and some mugwort to burn as well. Oh yes, and don't forget the white campanulas as your offering. I will curse you if you don't leave me some."_

"Sheesh, alright. We'll need to stop by my greenhouse for the campanula. I didn't think to grab any offerings when I ran. It should be safe, right? Dumbledick only warded my house, didn't he?"

_"It'll be safe as long as you climb over your fence and don't touch your house in anyway. Now, lets get going. It's going to be a long and exhausting night._ "

* * *

Marcus waited the hour that Harry had asked for before he promptly snapped his book shut, placed it on the coffee table in the middle of the circle of seats he was sitting on and stood up, walking at a brisk pace to leave the library and towards where he sensed his Lord through the mark.

He came to a stop in front of the doors to the smaller meeting room, which meant that the Dark Lord was possibly in a meeting or had just finished one. Either way, Marcus knew he would be punished more if the Dark Lord found Harry was missing and that he knew. Hopefully the Dark Lord would think Harry had only just left and that Marcus hadn't waited an hour.

He knocked on the door before entering the room, barely withholding a flinch when he saw the Dark Lord looking at him expectantly with four inner circle members standing in front of him, also looking his way.

"Yes?"

"Sorry to interrupt, My Lord, but I thought you should know that Harry has left the manor. He wouldn't tell me why and wouldn't let me stop him. He seemed excited though and was adamant that he could hide from Dumbledore."

"He left? That blasted muggle! Why does the boy not listen to me! Marcus, as soon as he gets back, bring him to me! Clearly I've been too lenient with him."

"Yes, My Lord," Marcus said, cringing inside at what possible punishment Harry was going to get and regretting having to tell on him in the first place.

"Oh, and Marcus?" Marcus looked up at the Dark Lord at the dangerously quiet words and swallowed heavily when he saw the murderous look on the man's face. " _Crucio!_ "

* * *

Harry quickly closed the gateway behind him that he'd stumbled through, using the same headstone he had used to go to Byland Abbey, and looked around him, eyes wide as he took in Godrics Hollow for the first time that he could remember, even though he knew he'd lived there for his first year of life.

"Whoa, this is Godrics Hollow? I can feel the ambient magic and Death."

_"Well, I did live here all my life, and Cadmus and Antioch stayed with me for a long while. Our magic would have pretty much saturated the small village. Now, you'll want to head into the cemetery, follow me and I'll take you to my grave,"_  Ignotus told him, stepping in front of him and walking over to a small, but well-kept and peaceful looking cemetery. They walked through past several headstones, Harry absently taking note of the names and recognising one or two of people he'd spoken to in the past. He smiled when he felt wave after wave of spiritual magic wash over him gently and then looked to the side at the headstone Ignotus was looking at sadly.

"That's your wife?"

_"Yes, Maura, she was a beautiful woman."_

"I've never spoken to her."

_"No, you haven't. She's too far back in your family tree for you to really be able to contact without sitting here for a while. Sadly we don't have the time tonight. She is very proud of you though, even more so when you learnt Irish. That was her native tongue,"_ Ignotus said, smiling sadly as he reached out to touch the headstone, only for his hand to pass through it. Harry winced at the sad sight and reached over to place his hand on Ignotus' shoulder, channeling energy through him to make him more solid. Ignotus smiled at him and brushed his hand over Maura's headstone.  _"Thank you, Horatio._ "

"No problem, Grandfather. We'll come back here soon, yeah? Have a proper family reunion."

_"Good idea. Now, you need to kneel by my grave and concentrate on bringing the knuckles to the surface. They should heed your call because I am willingly giving them to you,"_  Ignotus told him.

Harry just nodded and moved away from Maura's grave to kneel in front of Ignotus'. He placed his hand on the ground, digging his hands in the grass that had grown over his favourite uncle's resting place and then concentrated as hard as he could on the bones he would need and why he needed them. He inhaled sharply when he felt his energy leave him, to be greeted by the familiar feel of Ignotus' spiritual energy, practically curling and wrapping around him like a hug. Then, as soon as it came, the feeling left him and he felt something solid under his hands.

Leaning back onto the balls of his feet, Harry lifted his hands and smiled brightly at the sight of the slightly dirty, small bones. He tenderly picked them up and placed them in the ancient dragon hide bag that he'd had the goblins take out of his vault - which was technically a Peverell vault but now his as he had the key - and send to him.

"Thank you, Grandfather. You know, if you want to stay with Maura, I'm sure Cadmus and Antioch will be able to lead me through the rest of this," Harry offered as he reverently placed a couple of white campanulas on Ignotus' grave and then leant over and placed a couple more on Maura's.

_"You are most welcome, Horatio. And no, I wish to see you complete this ritual. It is a big stepping-stone and I wouldn't miss it for the world. However, I may stay with Maura for a little while afterwards."_

"That's good then. She probably misses you as much as you miss her. You haven't really left my side since Voldemort arrived back in Little Hangleton."

_"You're my many times great grandson and almost like my son, I will not leave you alone with that man until I know for certain that you are safe. Now, have you rested enough? We really should get a move on. It is dangerous enough that we have to do this when it is still light."_

"The sun will be setting soon enough, don't worry. We'll leave great-grandfather Roberts until last though, when we know it's definitely dark."

_"Yes, probably for the best. Next it would be best if we went to a wizarding cemetery in Berlin. That is where Agrippa's resting place is. Use my headstone as the next gate."_

"I can't believe I'm going to be using the bones of Agrippa," Harry muttered under his breath as he quickly drew out his next gate, concentrating on the information he had for his next destination. He smiled brightly when it worked and he quickly stepped through, Ignotus following behind him, then Harry closed the gate behind them.

_"Took your time coming to visit me, didn't you?"_ Harry didn't even have to concentrate for a strange looking spirit to appear in front him at the slightly accented gallic being spoke.

"Ignotus came first. You must be Agrippa. Thank you for allowing me to use some of your bones," Harry said back in gallic, dipping his head a little and smiling when Agrippa just waved him away.

_"No need for thanks. I'm quite honoured that the Ignotus Peverell listened to me when I offered my bones to his newest apprentice and the first necromancer in centuries. Now, follow me and I'll take you to my grave. It's unmarked for some reason, but don't worry, our own grave is something we find hard to lose,"_ Agrippa told him with a full belly-laugh that made Harry chuckle as well, even though he wasn't entirely sure what was supposed to be amusing. Harry just grinned at the jolly man leading him through the many ancient tombs and graves before he came to a stop in front of a fairly unremarkable grave that many would be shocked held the remains of Cornelius Agrippa.

Harry smiled brightly at Agrippa once again before he knelt down in front of the grave and repeated the same process he had done with Ignotus'. He gave another gasp when he once again felt spiritual energy embracing his own, only this time he wasn't familiar with it though it seemed to feel just as strange, large and jolly as the man it belonged to was. It took a little longer this time for the energy to leave him and to feel a few finger bones under his hand, but it was expected as this was the first time Harry had ever tried to contact Agrippa. Though now he had the man's bones, he would be able to speak to him whenever they wanted no matter where Harry was in relation to Agrippa's grave.

Harry leant back once he felt the bones and added the two that were on the ground in front of him to the five he'd received from Ignotus in the small pouch and then left a handful of white campanulas by the headstone.

"Thank you again, Agrippa."

_"It's no trouble, tiny necromancer! It is a pleasure and a joy to know you will be using my remains in your gracious magic! Your Master and Lord has seen to bless you, so I feel blessed you would use my bones! Now, you had better leave here as you no doubt have a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it in,"_  Agrippa told him with a large, wide smile, patting him on the shoulder heavily and making Harry practically collapse back to the ground he'd just stood up from.

"May I use your headstone for my next gate?"

_"Of course! Would you mind if I watched? It has been so long since I have witnessed your type of magic!"_

"Sure, oh and don't worry, when I close the gate, my blood will be absorbed into the stone and the chalk should wash away with the next rainfall," Harry assured him, before he bent and created his next gate, this time thinking of his next destination, which was in Northampton. Once the gate opened, Harry turned to smile at a mesmerised Agrippa and then stepped through, Ignotus once more following him. Harry closed the gate behind him and then bent over a little to try and regain some energy.

_"Just rest for a moment. Cassandra will be here soon, but she won't mind waiting for you to get some energy back. You haven't had to do this many gates and rituals in one go before. Don't worry, this is normal,"_ Ignotus reassured him, resting his translucent hand on Harry's shoulder.

After a few minutes of just resting there, Harry finally straightened up, smiling when he saw one of his childhood mentors, Cassandra Trelawney, standing in front of him and smiling brightly.

_"Ah, little Harry. How I've missed talking to you. It does get so lonely without someone alive to talk to. I have been keeping an eye on you though. Your future looks so happy!"_ Cassandra told him, motioning to hug him - always a strange experience with a spirit. Harry just smiled and concentrated on her so that he didn't fall through her when they hugged.

"Good to see you too, Cass! Thank you for this!"

_"The Peverell's asked me first, they knew I wouldn't say no to you! Now, follow me and I'll take you to my grave. You're lucky that my great-great-granddaughter is at Hogwarts now. She tends to like to visit my grave in the summer and forgets the time when she's here. Such a strange girl. Got some of my talent, but it's sketchy and prone to misinterpretation. I'm sad to say it was her talent that sent the Dark Lord towards your family,"_  Cass told him, leading him through the many headstones of long gone wizards and witches before she came to a stop in front of a well cared for headstone, covered in many brightly coloured flowers of different kinds.

"You're sure this is okay? I mean, you still have living relatives, what if one of them has a child that is a necromancer? They won't be able to use your bones as well."

_"Harry, Sybil is my only descendent and I don't see her having any children anytime soon. Besides, even if she did, it is highly unlikely that her children will be a necromancer. There is no necromancer blood in my family. My blood tends to produce seers. A different magic. Now, do what you must and stop questioning me."_

Harry just looked at her and then nodded, kneeling in front of the grave and concentrating on Cassandra's remains buried deep in the earth, just as he did with Agrippa and Ignotus. He quickly felt the wise and ancient feel energy that he recognised as Cassandra wrap itself around him and then tug at him before he felt a few bones underneath his hands. He pulled back and plucked the three finger bones and one knuckle that was there and placed them into the pouch with the others. Then he placed some more campanula's on the grave along with a small bunch of freesias that he'd picked just for Cassandra, as they were her favourite flower but also were a flower for friendship.

"You can talk to me wherever now, you know!" Harry told her happily once he'd stood up and was happy to embrace Cassandra again, not realising just how much he'd missed her presence.

_"I know. That is another reason I allowed you to use my bones. Mostly though, the bones of a seer will guide you better for future endeavours. Now, then, you've got one more grave to visit, I believe, so you had better get a move on,"_  Cassandra told him, releasing him from their hug and moving back so that Harry could go back to her headstone.  _"The chalk will have washed away by the time Sybil comes back to visit my grave,_ "Cassandra added when she saw Harry hesitate in front of her headstone.

"Right, okay then," Harry muttered, nodding his head before he started drawing out his next gate, this time to a cemetery he'd been to before a couple of times. Normally in November though. Ford Park Cemetery in Plymouth held the body of his great-grandfather, Lieutenant Dennis Roberts. Harry sent one last smile to Cassandra before he stepped through the gate and closed it behind himself and Ignotus.

When he straightened up and looked around him, not far from his great-grandfathers grave where he'd aimed for, he saw a proud looking man with a thick beard and short slightly wavy hair in an old Lieutenants Royal Navy uniform, standing up straight-backed in front of him.

"Lieutenant Roberts!" Harry said, giving a slightly weak salute, but the man had demanded one every time he and his aunt had come to visit.

_"Horatio, good to see you again and in good health. My granddaughter told me you were in need of some of my bones. Strange request, but no stranger than meeting your eleven year old living great-grandson a good thirty years after you'd died. Come, we'll walk to my grave. How have you been this past year? The tales I have been hearing from the dead are not encouraging."_

"Oh, you know… Living with a Dark Lord who hates people with no magic and tried to kill your brother when you were a year old, had to close the bakery so Aunty Sylv isn't best pleased with me, oh and I recently found out that Death is taking even more of an interest in my life than is usual. So, really, pretty boring," Harry added with a grin, laughing when his ancestor chuckled.

_"Yes, it does sound terribly dull. Now, I've been informed that me allowing you to use my bones means that I'll be able to actually talk to you and keep an eye on you no matter where you are, is that right?"_

"Yep, totally right," Harry told him as they came to a stop in front of his great-grandfathers grave, Harry glanced at the proud man, who gave a small nod, and then knelt in front of the man's grave. Once again he did the same as he had with the previous graves. Once he felt the familiar energy of his great-grandfather greet him and offer up his bones, he smiled at how quick he was at doing this - shame he probably wouldn't need to do it again - and picked up the bones he had been given before placing them in the pouch with the others and replacing them with a few campanulas, "thank you for this."

_"No need for thanks, now, you two should probably head back to wherever it is that you need to go,"_ Harry's great-grandfather told them, waving him towards his headstone with a smile.  _"I'll come visit you when you have a bit more energy."_

"Okay! See you later then, Lieutenant!" Harry told him with a brisk salute before he drew the next gate, and his last for a little while, and then stepped through with Ignotus, grinning when he was greeted on the other side by Cadmus, Antioch and a broad-shouldered, rugged looking man dressed in a dark green tartan kilt.

_"Ah, Death's Favoured has come back. We are honoured you chose to use our grounds for this ritual once more. I am James of the Gordon Clan_ ," the man told him with a small tilt of the head. Harry nodded back and smiled at him.

"I've successfully performed a ritual here before and had better than great results, so of course I'm going to come back! I feel a link to here now," Harry told them with a bright smile, throwing his arms wide when the light of the full moon shone through the scars clouds in the sky and lit him and the battleground he was standing on up, filling him with a touch more energy. "I can feel all the deaths that happened here."

_"As you perform more and more rituals, the closer and closer you will become to Death and all his subjects. Come, we should start preparing. We have just enough time to do so before three,"_  Antioch told him, stepping forward and placing a hand on Harry's shoulder.

"Right, okay," Harry said, quickly turning to close the gate he and Ignotus had arrived through and then moving to where he sensed lingering energy from his last ritual here. He knelt down there and opened his bag, pulling out the remaining campanulas, as well as a few thistles and white roses, then stood up and scattered the flowers around him. Once that was done, he knelt once more and took out three knives, the various stones Ignotus had advised he bring, the sprigs of mugwort he had brought with him and a lighter.

Arranging the diamonds, hematite, amethyst and obsidian stones on the ground on front of him in a neat pile and then lining the knives up in the order he would be using them next to the stones. On the other side of the stone pile, he reverently placed the pouch with the bones he had collected in.

_"Wee Necromancer?"_

"Hmm?" Harry asked absently, concentrating on what he would have to do in thirty minutes time and what he had to do before then.

_"We wish to offer our energy for your ritual once more and also, I would like to offer some bones."_ Harry turned to gape at the spirit of James in shock.

"Really?

_"Aye. If you'll follow me, then I'll take you to where I fell fighting for the Bruce,"_ James told him, turning to lead him a small distance away from where Harry had been kneeling once Harry had stood up to follow.  _"It would honour me if you would use my bones for your collection."_

"Wow. It's an honour for me to be allowed this," Harry told him with a bright smile, before he knelt and quickly performed the ritual he was now a dab-hand at, grinning when he felt James' energy embrace his and give up the bones he asked for. Harry carefully picked the two tiny bones up and then stood, bowed to James in thanks and hurried back to his knives.

Kneeling once more, Harry placed the bones into the pouch with the others he had and then picked up the mugwort and lighter before lighting the herb and slowly waving it around him and over his tools and bones. He then scattered the last tips of the mugwort around him, allowing it to burn out and bowed his head, closing his eyes and picking up the pouch.

With his eyes still closed, he tipped the pouch and shook out one of the bones, smiling when he sensed the energy of Cassandra. He then opened his eyes and picked up the Lapis knife and nicked the bone with it before cutting his left thumb and rubbing the blood into the nick. He did this with the rest of the bones Cassandra had given him before placing them all on the ground on front of him and putting the knife back where he'd picked it up from.

"Bone of the Diviner, may you guide me to a future Our Lord deems right."

A wave of power and energy ran through him, making him bite his lip to hold back a groan of pleasure, before it left him and he had to take a deep breath to ground himself again. He then closed his eyes once more and tipped the pouch again until another bone fell out into his hand. He grinned as he felt the energy of James. He opened his eyes and looked at the bone, before this time picking up the agate knife and nicking the bone as he did with Cassandra's. This time he cut his thumb on his other hand and rubbed the blood into the nick. He repeated this process with the other bone of James and then placed them both next to Cassandra's, and put the knife back.

"Bone of the Warrior, may you give courage to fight in Our Lord's battles."

Once again, a wave of power and energy ran through him, this time a little stronger and leaving him breathless as it passed through him. He slumped a little when it left him and he had to take a couple of breaths to centre himself. Then he repeated the gesture with the pouch again, this time getting the bones of Agrippa. He smiled at the feel of the man's vibrant, dark energy before picking up the lapis knife and nicking the bone, cutting his right ring finger and smearing the blood on the nick, then repeating the process with the other bone and placing them and the knife on the ground.

"Bone of the scholar, may you gift me with the knowledge to aide Our Lord."

This time he was ready for the wave of power and energy that washed over him and he managed to pull himself together quicker than he had the previous two times. Picking up the pouch again, he shook out the next bone, feeling his great-grandfathers energy in it and smiling. He picked up the agate knife again, nicked the bone and cut his left forefinger and rubbing his blood into the nick he'd made on the bone. He then did the same with the remaining bones of his great-grandfather and placed them on the ground along with the knife.

"Bone of the Leader, may you lead me to where I will best help Our Lord."

The energy that rushed through him this time was even stronger than the previous three and left Harry breathless and gasping, fingers digging into the grass he was kneeling on. He slumped a little and took deep breaths, trying to stop the minute shakes he could feel racking his body, before he pushed himself up straight again and picked up the pouch, tipping out the remaining bones of Ignotus onto his hand. This time he picked up the garnet knife and sliced alone his left right palm after nicking all the bones, then he placed the bones into his palm and closed his fingers around them, feeling his blood flowing over them and leaking out between his fingers. He opened his hand when he felt they would be sufficiently covered in his blood and placed them on the ground, along with the knife and took a deep breath, closing his eyes once more.

"Bone of the Mentor, may you teach me what I will need to please Our Lord and guide me in His ways."

With that last sentence, Harry couldn't hold back the moan at the power and energy that rushed through him, leaving his fingertips and toes tingling, knocking the breath out of him and leaving him light-headed. He vaguely felt his hair being tugged at as he slumped forward over the piles of bones, mouth open in a silent shout of pleasure, back arching as he weakly propped himself up on his shaky arms. Then the energy left him, leaving him breathless once more and any remaining energy he had in his arms left him, leaving him to drop to the floor, just missing his knives.

_"Horatio?"_  Harry groaned when he heard Ignotus calling his name a few minutes later, and he weakly pushed himself up until he was sitting, whole body tingling and limbs feeling like jelly.

"Did it work?"

_"Oh yes, it definitely worked. He gifted you with more beads as well,"_  Antioch told him, pride evident in his voice. Harry blinked at the four spirits standing in front of him blearily and then glanced down to see only five clean white bones left on the floor with inky black runes on them and a blood red nick on them all. He beamed happily down at them and shakily picked them up before placing them into his pouch.

"Wait, he gave me more beads?" Harry asked a minute or two later when Antioch's words penetrated his brain. Lifting a weak hand up, he felt at his hair and noticed the two thin braids at the side of his face now had a small bead at the end of each, both looking like they were made of bone but with veins of colour going through them. The bead on his left had emerald veins and the right had ruby. "What does that mean?"

_"That you really are favoured by Our Lord,"_  Ignotus told him, Harry glancing up at him and smiling when he saw the wide, proud smile on his mentor's face.  _"You have made us very proud that you carry our name and blood."_

_"It has been an honour to witness and be a part of this. I will gladly visit with you from now on, though I think you should be heading back to your home before your energy leaves you completely. We cannot protect you here, out in the open,"_  James told him, placing a hand on his shoulder and smiling at him before he let go of the energy Harry was giving him and he disappeared.

_"He is right. You need to head back. Voldemort was not best pleased that you had left and I feel your confrontation with him will mean him finding out some things you had been hiding from him. Just remember, Our Lord is clearly watching over you now, He'll keep you safe. Now, pack up your things and we'll go back to face Lord Voldemort's anger."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N - So, a bit of insight into the relationship between Harry and Ignotus. Harry's close with all three Peverell brothers, but Ignotus is the brother that the Potter line came from, so he has basically been there for Harry for everything and is the more prominent of his mentors. He really does see Harry as his son, Cadmus and Antioch probably see him as their nephew, which technically he sort of is. Also, Potter Manor is never mentioned in canon, as far as canon is aware, Godrics Hollow is the only Potter property (I think). Therefore, Potter Manor is totally in Northampton, as well as Cassandra Trelawney's resting place. Amusingly, if you know anything about certain sports and venues, then you can totally tell what sports I've been watching as I have been writing this. *Snickers*
> 
> Ford Park Cemetery does exist, many men of the military are buried there. There is also a Gordon Clan. That is the clan I am a part of. :)
> 
> Let me know what you think! Next chapter has the much anticipated meeting between Harry and Draco, as well as Voldemort's punishment for Harry. Let's just say there's going to be another couple of secrets about Harry revealed in them. And yes, I shamelessly channel my hatred of Draco Malfoy through Harry. *Grins*
> 
> Oh! Before I forget:
> 
> Lapis Lazuli - Deep Wisdom, Intuition, connection with the divine  
> Agate - Strength and Courage.  
> Amethyst - Spirituality  
> Obisidian - Scrying, Intuition  
> Diamond - Purifies, Scrying, Intuition, Meditation  
> Hematite - Grounding, Clarifies thought, Willpower, Confidence.  
> Ruby - Courage, Vigour
> 
> Thistle - Scotland's national flower. It also means bravery, courage and loyalty.  
> White Rose - the Rose is England's national flower, the white rose is the flower of Yorkshire (well, technically the House of York, but the God's Own Country seems to have adopted it as their own) more specifically. It also means truth.  
> Campanula - Give thanks.  
> Mugwort - Clairvoyance, Psychic Dreams, Protection
> 
> Fact of the week: Thistles don't die, they just dry out… like most Scots then! XD Also, a fact that doesn't mean anything to anyone but me, but apparently it's fecking impossible to get Scottish birth certificates. Either that or my father's family don't actually exist. (My mum did always claim that my grandad wasn't born, he just appeared one day when he was twenty-one. *Snort*)


	9. Chapter Eight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A week early! I know, I spoil you, right? Actually, it's early because I'm heading off to do my job this weekend, so I'll be away at a con. The next chapter will be posted in two weeks, so I have time after the con to write it! :D

Chapter Eight

_"Duck!"_  Harry flinched at Ignotus' yell as he stepped through the gate into his room in Riddle Manor but didn't even think twice about following the order and dropped to the floor in time to see a red spell pass over his head and through the gate.

"What the actual fuck was that?!" Harry exclaimed, standing up and blanching when he saw Voldemort leaning against the wall by his bed, glaring furiously and pointing his wand at him. Harry nibbled his lip and looked to the side at Ignotus, just as Cadmus and Antioch both walked through the gate, closing it behind them.

_"Hmm, thought we'd have more time before this confrontation happened,"_  Antioch said, making Harry glare at him before he turned all his attention back to the hostile Dark Lord now in his room.

"Er…"

"Yes, Mr Waterhouse? I suggest, if you want to continue living, that you follow me without struggling," Voldemort told him in a creepily calm voice that really didn't go with the furious look on the man's face.

Harry just swallowed and nodded his head, dropping his bag subtly on the floor and kicking it under his desk when Voldemort turned his back to him and walked out of the room.

"Come, Mr Waterhouse. Do not keep me waiting." Harry sighed silently, glanced at the Peverells, and then moved quickly to follow behind Voldemort, feeling more and more nervous as they neared their destination. Harry was paying so much attention to his thoughts and fears of what was about to happen, that he nearly collided with Voldemort's back when the man came to a stop in front of the door to the large ballroom, thankfully stopping just before he did.

_"You may have to tell him more about your abilities. Do not let him kill you. You are too important for that! Have you kept your bones on you?"_ Ignotus asked him, worry evident on his face. Harry just nodded and placed his hand by the pouch tied to his belt.

"Inside, Mr Waterhouse," Voldemort told him, breaking Harry's silent conversation with Ignotus and motioning for Harry to walk into the ballroom, where there seemed to be a Death Eater meeting in progress. All the Death Eaters in the room turned when Harry walked in and watched as he stumbled towards where Voldemort pushed him. "Now that you have finally decided to come back, maybe you can tell me a bit more about yourself."

"Depends what you want to know," Harry said defiantly, deciding he was going to end up being cursed in someway anyway, so he might as well act how he wanted.

_"I said don't get killed, how is that answer not going to get you killed?"_ Harry just ignored Ignotus and stared at Voldemort, ignoring the shuffling of the Death Eaters behind him.

"How did you appear in your bedroom? You have no magic, you're just a muggle," Voldemort pointed out, raising an eyebrow when Harry just sneered at him.

"Bloody wizards, always thinking you're better than muggles just because you have a stick of wood in your possession that can make things happen. Without that stick, you'd all be useless. Here's a shocker, muggles are far better than you lot. Where you relied on your magic and got lazy and fat, muggles had to fight for survival and use science to better themselves. I've never heard that wizards managed to put a man on the moon, whereas muggles have done that and so much more. Wizards stagnated, muggles evolved," Harry told them, hoping that Voldemort didn't notice he hadn't actually answered the question.

"Indeed. You're wrong of course, but I suppose we all have our different opinions. Now, clever distraction, but answer my question."

"Magic."

"You don't have magic, muggle!" Voldemort hissed, glaring angrily at him as he lifted his wand to point at Harry. "Now, tell me!"

"I told you! Magic! The dictionary definition of magic is altering something using mysterious forces. I altered my whereabouts, using forces that are a mystery to you, therefore magic. Deal with it, wizard."

" _CRUCIO!_ " Harry barely had time to flinch before the spell hit him and knocked him to the floor as a wave of intense pleasure ran over him, making him moan aloud and arch his back up. The longer the spell was held on him, the more the pleasure increased, until Harry was gasping and panting, writhing on the floor, much to the Death Eater's stunned disbelief. Realising that his spell wasn't working in the way he wanted, Voldemort stopped it and stepped forward so he was looming over a now heavily panting Harry. "Tell me what you are."

"A baker!" Harry gasped out a little breathlessly, weakly moving to stand up on jelly-like legs.

_"Told you they didn't work in quite the same way on you,"_  Antioch drawled from where he was leaning against the wall, watching the proceedings along with his brothers. Harry just sneered weakly and stuck his finger up at him.

"You try my patience, muggle! Tell me!"

"Screw you."

" _Sectumsempra!_ " Harry once more fell back as the force of the spell hit him, but nothing else happened other than giving him pins and needles in his arms and knocking the wind out of him. Judging from the looks he was getting, however, Harry was going to assume that that wasn't the intended result of the spell. "How are you doing this, muggle?!"

"Stop calling me muggle, wizard!" Harry spat, shifting so he was sitting, slumped over on the floor. He glanced out of the side of his eyes at the Peverells, noticing that they were all frowning in disapproval of Voldemort.

"Fine! Tell me where you went!"

"Out and about. Visiting dead relatives. The usual," Harry told him, grinning weakly and still a little out of breath and shaky from the first spell. He flinched a little when Voldemort pointed his wand at him once more.

"You ask for my protection and then you disregard my requests! I tried to be kind to you, muggle, and yet you continued to try my patience and ignore my rules! Tell me why I shouldn't kill you?"

"Death likes me."

" _Diffindo!_ " Harry gasped in pain as a slash appeared across his stomach and started to bleed sluggishly, though it slowly started to visibly heal at a more accelerated rate. "Interesting how that spell worked."

"If that's what you want to call it," Harry muttered, silently mourning the loss of a decent t-shirt, and using the edge of the ruined shirt to dab up the blood, pretty much ignoring the wizard in front of him.

" _Stupefy!_ " Harry's head jerked up at the uttered spell just as the light hit him and he felt light-headed before he fell into darkness with no idea as to what had just happened.

* * *

Harry groaned as he woke up, wincing as he felt a monstrous headache banging at his skull and slowly tried to sit up. He frowned in confusion when he heard a rattling as he moved and slowly opened his eyes, only to gape when he saw he was still in the ballroom but now he was chained to the wall behind what Harry liked to silently call Voldemort's stage.

"What the fuck?"

_"We did try to tell you not to annoy the Dark Lord so much. He knocked you out and then proceeded to chain you to that wall, he has no intention of letting you free until you tell him what he wants to know,"_ Cadmus told him quietly, crouching down next to where Harry was half sprawled out, leaning up on shaky arms.

Harry just stared at him in shock, before he slowly pushed himself up fully and moved to sit, leaning against the wall. He gave a futile tug of the chains, but wasn't entirely shocked when they didn't give.

"So I'm just stuck here until he either gets bored and kills me, or until I tell him what he wants to know? Bloody Dark Lords! Actually, fucking wizards! Think they're all so fucking great, don't they? Bastards, all of them," Harry muttered, tugging at the chain once more before dropping his hands into his lap and sighing loudly.

"Surely you don't think all wizards are bad, do you?" Harry jerked up in surprise at the question, he had thought he was alone in the room with Cadmus - he had no idea where Ignotus and Antioch were, nor his aunt.

"Marcus! What are you doing in here?" Harry asked, looking at the way Marcus was slightly pale and leaning against the wall as though it was supporting him, and frowning in concern. "Are you alright?"

"He wasn't too pleased that I'd let you leave. Why don't you just tell him what he wants to know?" Marcus asked, slowly moving so that he came to a stand in front of Harry and then lowered himself to the floor with a small wince of pain.

"Sorry. I didn't think he would literally shoot the messenger."

"I didn't have to tell on you, no need for you to be sorry. So, why won't you tell him?" Marcus asked, looking like he genuinely cared for the answer and was actually worried about Harry, something quite novel to Harry as he wasn't too used to the living actually caring all that much about him personally.

"If he knows, he'd use me."

"He already is. And if you don't tell him, then your use is going to drop and he's going to kill you. His patience has already all but gone with regards to you," Marcus pointed out bluntly, grinning slightly when Harry just glared at him.

"He'll regret it if he does. Besides, I did tell him the answer, it's not my fault he refused to believe me. He needs to realise that there are more types of magic in the world than wizarding magic. Don't be so narrow-minded," Harry told him with a shrug. Marcus just stared at him with narrowed eyes before sighing and shaking his head.

"You're too stubborn for your own good. Please consider telling him what he wants to know."

"If he can promise not to use that knowledge against me, then I'll think about it. Otherwise, I'd rather die. Why would I want to be used in a war between wizards? I don't even like wizards! You're all dicks!" Harry said with a shake of his head. "Look, just forget it. I don't really want you to get in trouble and associating with me right now is probably not going to go down well."

"Fine. Just tell me one thing and then I'll leave you alone."

"I'm making no promises, but go on."

"How come those spells didn't work right on you?" Marcus asked him. Harry stared at him and then looked to the side at Cadmus, who was sitting on the floor next to him and who shrugged at Harry's silent question.

Harry just rolled his eyes at Cadmus' unhelpful answer and then sighed and looked at Marcus, "Dark magic doesn't work on me like it should. And before you ask, no, I don't know why. It just doesn't."

"I suppose that would come in handy at times."

"Sure, not that I ever really expected to be exposed to dark magic," Harry said with a shrug, sighing and then stifling the yawn that wanted to escape. He hadn't had a chance to sleep - properly, he didn't count being knocked out - and so he was still exhausted from the rituals he had performed, his energy not fully recovered.

_"You should be sleeping. The bones will continue to drain your energy from you in small amounts for the next seven days. This Dark Lord really is messing everything up. I don't imagine Death is going to be impressed with him."_

"I'm going to head out now, I need sleep. You should probably try and get some sleep as well, you look like shit."

"Charmer," Harry muttered, with a small grin, not even bothering to stop the yawn that escaped this time. Marcus just smirked at him and then painfully stood up, glancing down at him with slight concern on his face before he quickly covered it up with a blank mask.

"Try and sleep. You're probably going to need it." And with that, Marcus turned and slowly left the room, leaving Harry alone with an unusually quiet Cadmus.

"So what now? And where are Ignotus and Antioch?"

_"Now you think about what to tell that Dark Lord. As for my brothers, Antioch is keeping an eye on Dumbledore, you are weak right now, we don't need him finding a way to get you and Ignotus is speaking with Our Lord, finding out if there is anyway He could help you."_

"What? No! Don't involve Him! He doesn't need to be bothered with this! You'll just annoy Him!" Harry exclaimed, startled by the news and feeling a bit of unrest about the whole thing.

_"Too late, Horatio. Now, I think we need to work out, between us, just what you should tell this Dark Lord and how to prevent him from using you to his own means. It's just a shame that you can't use those bones of yours for another seven days. They would have given you good advice. We will just have to do without however. So, do you have any ideas?"_

"Me? My ideas got me chained to a wall! Clearly I am not good with ideas! You're on your own there!"

_"Yes, you always were a little dense when it came to planning anything other than your little pilgrimages. Perhaps we should wait for Ignotus before making any life-changing plans. We can discuss if there is anything you could tell the Dark Lord that will satisfy him yet not really give anything about you away."_

"Okay, good thinking. So, let's plan then."

* * *

Harry jerked awake when he heard the door to the room open and someone walked in. Shifting a little, Harry stretched slightly and then pushed himself up to so that he could see who it was that had walked in. He quickly glanced to the side to see that Ignotus had apparently returned whilst he was sleeping. Looking up finally to see who had walked in, Harry silently groaned when he saw Lord Voldemort standing over him with a sneer on his face.

"Are you ready to talk today, muggle?"

"Sure, but probably not about what you want me to talk about, wizard."

_"Be careful how you deal with him, Horatio. Our Lord has stated he will not be letting you pass over yet, so you need not fear dying, but he cannot interfere anymore than that. As we've told you before, there are worse things than death."_

"We shall see. Tell me, muggle, where you went when you decided to ignore my instructions to stay in this manor."

_"You might as well tell him the truth. It's not going to help him at all,"_ Cadmus pointed out, Harry glanced at him and Ignotus, both looking a little more transparent than they had been recently telling Harry that his energy hadn't fully restored itself.

"I went to another cemetery to visit with family. It was the full moon, so I knew I would be safe as the dead have more strength and can watch over me and my enemies for longer. Plus, the relative I would be seeing is buried near a seer, so she would have let me know if she'd seen anything troubling in my near future anyway," Harry told him with a shrug, bending the truth just a touch so that Voldemort didn't get any hint of information Harry didn't want him knowing. Though Harry was also well aware that he was nearing the end of his deadline for keeping Voldemort ignorant.

"Hmm. And what was so important that you left the safety of my wards to talk to family?"

"I missed them."

"And yet, they can't talk to you here? You need to go to them? Even though you do not have that issue with the dead relatives of my followers? How does that work?"

"Ah. Er…"

_"He's trying to catch you out. You only ever said that the relative had to have a direct line to their descendant in order for you to hear them. Tell him the same applies to you!"_

"They're not direct ancestors. I was visiting a great-great uncle. I can't hear him unless I am close enough, so I tend to visit his grave when I want to speak to him," Harry told him with a shrug, glaring down at the chains around his wrists when they clinked at the movement.

"So you went somewhere more than twenty-five miles away? How did you get there? And how did you appear in your room when you don't have any magic?" Voldemort finally got around to asking the question Harry had no idea how to answer without giving away what he was.

_"I discussed this with Death. He suggested you tell him that He gives you certain abilities that could be seen as magic. For example, the gates you can open. The reason Voldemort seems to think you appeared out of nowhere, by the way, is because he can't see the gates. So tell him the truth without really telling him the truth,"_  Ignotus told him, ignoring the incredulous look Harry shot him. Tell the truth without telling the truth? How did one go about doing that?!

"Right. Here's the thing, I don't have magic, you're right, but I do have abilities that could be seen as magic. Death gave me certain talents, apparently. Well, according to the dead He did. One of the talents is er… basically being able to sort of jump to any cemetery that I have a link to. And by link, I mean, a dead relative in. Other than that though, I don't have an ounce of magic in me," Harry lied, smiling up at an annoyed Voldemort.

"Then why does dark magic not seem to affect you?"

"No idea."

"I don't believe you."

"Sucks to be you then, don't it?" Harry said with a shrug, taking no notice of the glare Voldemort was sending him.

"Tell me the truth!"

"I did. I don't know why. Sheesh."

"Infuriating muggle! Why are you not afraid of me?! Do you not realise what I can do to you?"

"Sure, but my fear doesn't mean I can miraculously come up with answers."

Voldemort practically growled at Harry for that answer, before he straightened up from where he was looming over Harry and then spun to leave the room, robes whipping behind him as he slammed the door shut.

"Well, at least he didn't disfigure me."

_"Give him time. Cassandra fears that you won't be able to keep your secrets for much longer. Apparently the future whispers of conflict and strife for you. She can't tell when or how long you have though."_

"Well shit. Do you have any news on Dumbledore?"

_"He seems to have pulled your parents to the side to finally tell them that he was looking for you and has told them that he 'fears Voldemort got to you first'. I get the impression he is either trying to make them think it is too late for you or he is trying to get them to agree to upping the search and 'rescue' for you. So far, James seems to agree to anything Dumbledore suggests but Lily doesn't believe him and wants to know why Dumbledore was looking for you in the first place. Dumbledore hasn't answered her questions so she is refusing to agree to any of his plans."_

"What plans?"

_"Using their blood to pinpoint your location. Of course, it wouldn't work as you don't have the same blood as them, especially since your maturation, so we don't have to worry about him getting their blood in some other way."_

"Well, I suppose that's something then. Do you think I'll ever actually get out of here?"

_"Not without dying. Or at least telling him what he wants to know. I think it's time to accept that you will not be able to stay out of this war for very much longer,"_  Cadmus told him in what Harry assumed was meant to be a sympathetic tone though Cadmus had never really been very good at offering Harry comfort, sympathy or anything other than scorn actually.

"Great. Does He know that?"

_"He's aware of that, yes. He expects you to uphold the rules as well as you can and to remember that your job is not to choose who will live or die. Though, He did say He would turn a blind eye to anyone you felt needed to learn a lesson."_

"Well, that's nice of Him then! Guess I should reconsider letting Voldemort know just what I can do then, huh?"

* * *

Later that day Harry was sitting in the ballroom, which had stayed empty since Voldemort had left him, and was keeping himself busy by focusing on the bones in the pouch tied to his belt when the door opened once again and someone walked in that Harry couldn't recall having actually met before. Which was odd, given he'd been living there for long enough to surely have met everyone. Though admittedly, most of the Death Eaters did avoid him as much as possible so actually it wasn't all that surprising.

"Er… hello?" Harry asked, looking at the twitchy looking man with hair that reminded him a little of straw who'd just walked into the room and was now staring at him with wide, slightly crazy looking blue eyes.

_"This one is crazier than you and without the excuse for being so, careful how you deal with him,"_  Cadmus muttered, staring at the crazy looking man warily and moving closer to Harry - not that they'd be an ounce of help to him should he need it. As already proven by the fact he was currently chained to a wall.

"You speak to the dead?" The man asked him, slowly moving further into the room and nearer to Harry, which made Harry feel even more nervous.

"Apparently so."

"All the dead?"

"Well, unless they've been reincarnated, then yeah. All the dead," Harry confirmed, shooting a sideways glance to Ignotus and Cadmus, both of whom had moved from looking concerned to now looking more amused.

_"He's going to eventually, when he stops beating around the bush, ask about me. I assume. I'm Caspar Crouch. His grandfather."_  Harry looked to where the voice had come from and barely needed to concentrate anymore in order to have a translucent stern looking man appear standing just behind the crazy man.

"Er…"

"I'm Barty, by the way," the man, Barty apparently, told him in a shockingly lucid tone that startled Harry's attention back to him.

"Hi? Er… I'm Harry. I'm sorry, but why are you here?" Harry asked, finally deciding to just bite the bullet and get to the point, because he was chained to a wall, there really was only so much drama, angst and anticipation he could take in one sitting.

"I was intrigued. I haven't gotten a chance to talk to you, yet. Flint keeps all your attention. You unnerve the rest of the Death Eaters though. Did you really insult Mini-Malfoy?" Barty asked him with a grin, moving the final couple of steps to stand in front of him and then quickly moving to sit on the floor facing him.

Harry just stared at him silently for a beat before he grinned and shrugged, "yeah, he was a brat, so I treated him like a brat. Why do you want to know?"

"It amused me when I heard. Not many dare to tell the Malfoy brat that he's not the centre of the universe. It's even more rare that the one that did it was a muggle. What did he do to annoy you so much?"

"He thought he was above me. I disagreed. And then I let him know that I disagreed. So… you're a Death Eater, huh? How come?"

"My father's a bastard. He arrested me."

"Huh. Why'd he do that?"

"I was caught attempting to torture information out of two aurors. Sadly they survived, though one of them probably wished he hadn't survived. Oh well. Still, my bastard of a dad threw me in prison without any real solid proof."

"You mean other than being caught at the scene of the crime?" Harry asked, grinning when Barty actually just looked sheepish, as though he'd been caught with a hand in the biscuit tin as opposed to torturing two people.

"Well, other than that. Still, he was my father!"

_"Insanity runs in the family, I'm afraid. I should have argued more when my father arranged a marriage with Charis. The Blacks are all insane."_

"I here ya," Harry said, not too sure who he was answering, Barty or Caspar.

"You do?"

"Sure. My dad didn't even acknowledge my existence once he figured out I was completely insane. Dads totally suck," Harry said with a nod, mentally admitting that there was perhaps a small difference in their experiences. He hadn't tortured anyone for example. "Exactly what did happen to the guy who survived but wished he hadn't?"

"Oh, he was tortured into insanity. In all fairness, that wasn't actually me. Bella did that. In fact, I didn't even get to torture anyone! We were stopped before I could even raise my wand!"

"So you were totally innocent then?"

"Yes! I was!"

"You should make your father pay then," Harry said with a small nod, grinning when Caspar just stared at him incredulously before shaking his head and walking over to stand next to a mildly amused Cadmus and an exasperated Ignotus.

"That's what I think! So, enough about me though, how about you?"

"What about me?"

"What are you doing?"

"Oh, you know, hanging around…" Harry said with a quick glance to the manacles on his wrists currently chaining him to the wall behind him and silently wondering if Barty had actually noticed them. "Actually, I'm getting a bit hungry. Been a while since I last ate you see. Don't suppose you know where I could get some food from, do you?"

"I'm not sure if we're allowed to feed the prisoners. I'd have to ask My Lord to find out," Barty told him, somehow managing to sound apologetic about it as well.

"Ah, never mind then," Harry told him with a shrug, he wasn't too sure he wanted Lord Voldemort to remember about him again today and he'd be fine living off his death energy for a few more days at least.

"Why don't you just tell him what he wants to know?"

"I don't want to be controlled," Harry finally admitted out loud, getting sharp looks from all three spirits in the room and Barty.

"I can understand that. My father was a bit too controlling for my liking. It's why I followed the Dark Lord. He gave me freedom. He does listen to his followers, you know. If you told him your limits and what you don't want to do, he's probably going to listen if it's reasonable."

"Maybe."

_"He has a point. I've been with my grandson since I died and this Lord Voldemort isn't quite as bad as those light wizards would have you believe. More so now he's realised the folly of having so many horcruxes and has reabsorbed all but one of them now."_  Caspar told him, making Harry look up at him in alarm.

"Wait, what?"

"What did I say? I didn't say anything. Did I?" Barty asked, looking confused and obviously mentally rethinking anything he might have just said, which amused Harry just a tiny bit before he recalled what had just shocked him.

"No, not you. Your grandfather."

"Er… he's dea-oh. Okay."

_"He was a Ravenclaw for a reason. Well, he did lose a little of his mind and intelligence in that dreadful prison my son locked him in. As for what I said, I said the Dark Lord only has one horcrux now."_

"Is he insane?!" Harry near shrieked, getting a strange look from Barty though the three spirits all just looked a little uncomfortable.

_"You knew there was something off about him, Horatio, why does this shock you?"_

"You know… I have no idea," Harry admitted weakly, slumping back down to lean against the wall once more though still a little unnerved by the new information he'd been told.

"What's it like?" Barty suddenly asked from where he'd been sitting silently watching Harry talk to thin air.

"What's what like?"

"Speaking to the dead?"

"Mostly it's bloody annoying. I have no privacy and sometimes they just have no idea how to shut up. I mean, don't get me wrong, it's nice to know that I have family that will always be there for me no matter what, but still annoying. But it's also really useful."

"Huh. I don't think there would be many dead people who'd want to talk to me if I could hear them."

"The dead don't care much about right and wrong, you know. Either way it's not really going to affect them anymore. And your grandfather is currently in here, he's rather interested in you."

"Really? I'm assuming you're talking about Caspar Crouch."

"Yep. That's the one. He's quite an interesting fellow."

_"Thank you."_

"Should you be in here?" Harry finally asked, looking at Barty curiously and, for some reason, not wanting the strange yet interesting man to be punished for visiting him.

"No one told us we weren't allowed in here so I don't see why not."

"Oh, right. So…" Harry looked around the large room as though it would give him ideas on what he could say. Not that he was feeling uncomfortable or awkward, but he kinda like Barty and actually wanted him to stick around for a bit longer.

"I think you should consider telling the Dark Lord what it is he wants to know. Eventually he's going to get bored and you're currently making this room not available for meetings, so he'll just get rid of you soon."

"What? It's not my fault I'm in here! He bloody chained me in this room! Really, he's only got himself to blame."

"Possibly. But he's the Dark Lord. Not many are willing to tell him when he's wrong," Barty pointed out, showing that the insane could also be intelligent and logical. When they wanted to be.

"You do have a point," Harry conceded, begrudgingly. He then sighed and shifted again to try and get comfortable, mournfully wishing for a cushion or something soft to sit on. "So how important are you in the Death Eater ranks?"

"I'm in the inner circle."

"The… right. Of course. Can't be evil without an inner circle," Harry muttered to himself, ignoring the snort of amusement from Cadmus. "What do you do?"

"Not a lot. I quite like the weird things muggles have invented to get around their lack of magic, so I tend to be asked to do things that involve computers and such. I was asked to look into your past for example."

"Oh? Find anything interesting?"

"Well, apparently your religion is Jedi. What's that?" Barty asked him, looking slightly baffled when Harry burst into laughter.

"Brilliant! Well, to be honest, I don't actually really have a religion. Not really. And being a Jedi sounded more fun that declaring myself an atheist or something. It's the governments fault for allowing it as a religion!" Harry declared finally, still grinning and not looking at all sorry for the fact he'd basically lied on the official census.

"Huh. But what is a jedi?"

"They use the force," Harry told him in his best Alec Guinness impression whilst waving his hand in what he hoped looked slightly mystical.

"The force?"

"Yep."

"And that is?"

"It is what it is. It holds the world together. Still, never mind that, what else did you find out?"

"Not a lot, to be honest. Nothing of interest at least. Though Horatio is a weird name."

"Says Bartemus? Right, hello, Pot, meet Kettle."

"Why did you call me pot?"

"Never mind."

* * *

Harry was left alone for a few days after his visit from Barty, not even Voldemort actually coming in to see him, sadly this also meant that no one had thought to feed him either, which quite frankly pissed him off. He was, unfortunately, becoming weaker and his death energy was no longer fully supporting him, though on the upside, he had finished charging his bones so he could focus what little energy he had left into keeping himself conscious. He was getting pretty weak though.

Which was why he didn't really move from his slouched position against the wall when the door swung open, banging against the wall before closing behind whoever had walked in the room. He knew it wasn't Voldemort because he couldn't even sense the Dark Lord in the manor, never mind the room.

"Well well, look at you now, muggle. Not so brave anymore, are you?" Harry groaned as he recognised the whiny, pompous voice of the person now standing over him.

"Good god, I clearly killed a whole room of puppies and kittens in a past life to have to put up with you," Harry whined, shifting to lie on his back and look up at the arrogant face of Draco Malfoy. "You do know you're a dick, right?"

"I don't think you're in the position to be saying anything negative about me. Perhaps, if you grovelled, I would put a good word in to my Lord for you," Draco told him smirking when Harry just stared at him as though he were crazy.

"It's the inbreeding, isn't it? Either that or your magic has just decided it can't stay with you for much longer and has decided to eat away at your braincells. What do you think, Ant?" Harry asked, moving his head to the side to where the three Peverell brothers had been standing pretty much since Harry had been chained in that room.

"Who are you talking to! Muggle, I think it's time you stopped lying to our lord! You are nothing special!"

"Neither are you and yet here you are, thinking you're above me. Strange how I haven't seen a peep of you since I've been here until now, when your lord is no longer on the premises."

"You're a muggle! A pathetic, magicless muggle. Your place is beneath me, begging me for mercy."

"Good gods, you really are delusional, aren't you? Please, please, do go and say that to a muggle that has a gun and an itchy trigger finger."

"I don't know what you mean, but I would say it to anyone."

"Statute of secrecy doesn't actually mean anything to you, does it?" Harry asked, grinning as Draco seemed to get more and more flustered the more Harry refused to bow to his whims. "Here's the deal, you piss off and leave me alone, and I won't tell Voldemort you were in here torturing me with your presence and I also won't sell your family secrets to whatever newspaper you wizards read. Actually, I won't tell the Inland Revinue that you're citizens of this fine country and yet have never paid a penny in taxes for centuries. My god, think of the fines."

"Shut up, muggle!"

"You shut up, inadequate wizardling."

"How dare you!"

"No, how dare you? Stop playing about, pretending to be above everyone when you are in fact nothing but dirt. Leave now before I go hypoglycaemic on your pasty white arse."

"What?!" Draco demanded, indignantly. Standing up straight and glaring down at Harry, who was slowly pushing himself up so he was standing. He wasn't feeling quite so comfortable being lower on the ground to Draco.

"I said, naff off. I don't care about you or your thoughts and ideals. You think I'm below you, I think you're below me. Clearly we were meant to disagree. Now leave, before I do something we'll both probably regret."

"Are you threatening me?!"

"Yes. Is it working?"

"What do you think you can do to me, muggle?" Draco asked, sneering at him. Harry silently admitted that, leaning weakly against the wall as he currently was, he probably wasn't looking at his most threatening.

"Oh, I can do a lot to you. But you'll probably be more receptive to the fact your Lord has just arrived back home. Torturing his victims probably won't go down well without his consent."

"I'm not torturing you!"

"You mere presence is torture, I'm sure he'll agree. Now, seriously, go away," Harry told him, actually wondering if Draco really  _was_  mentally deficient, because he didn't seem to be getting the message.

"I belong here more that you do. It's about time My Lord realise you are nothing but a pitiful muggle with no uses at all. He's going to get rid of you and I'll be there to watch."

"Right. That's it. I fucking warned you, you bloody idiot," Harry snapped, pushing himself off from the wall to stand up straight, ignoring the alarmed looks the Peverell's were sending him and instead focusing on Draco.

_"Now, now, Horatio. Don't do anything too hasty. His Lord will be here any minute now and he can deal with him."_

_"Shut up, Ignotus! Let him show that miserable little mortal where his place is! It's about time people knew about Necromancers once more!"_

_"Antioch, don't encourage him. Harry, at least reconsider what you're about to do."_

"No! I've had it up to here with fucking wizards thinking they own the world just because they're freaks of fucking nature that can use magic! Survival of the fittest does not mean survival of only those with magic!" Harry yelled, feeling what little grasp on sanity and calm he had snap as he stepped forward and grabbed Draco Malfoy by the lapels of his robes.

"Unhand me, muggle!"

"One! You miserable waste of life, I am not a fucking muggle! Can a muggle do this?!" Harry hissed, yanking his hands back and pulling out a ghostly replica of Draco, said replica making a startled noise and staring at Harry with dawning apprehension and fear. "Do not push me, wizard! You might have magic and that might mean you can shit all over the laws of physics, but I have a way better grasp on Life and Death! The only reason I won't kill you now is because you'll fucking haunt me and whine until I shoot myself just get rid of your irritating voice!"

"W-what?!"

"Shut up! I didn't say you could talk!" Harry screamed, shaking the spirit of Draco that he now held in his grasp before reaching up and yanking a handful of translucent hair from spirit-Draco's head, grinning maliciously at the pained yelp that brought before forcefully shoving the spirit back into its body.

"W-what are you?"

"I'm your worst fucking nightmare, wizard! I now have a piece of your essence and I can use it to make you do some pretty damned unpleasant things! I am Death's Favoured! I hold His secrets and am gifted with His blood! Don't fucking mess with me again, you snivelling piece of waste, or I'll make sure you don't have enough essence left to die properly! Forever left with enough conscience to know you can't die, and yet can't live. Enough presence to feel the world moving on without you but not enough to make anyone give a flying fuck about you. You won't live. You won't die. You'll just be. So think of that before you try to act above your station!"

Harry slumped back against the wall as all his adrenaline and energy finally left him, breathing heavily but with just enough energy to stay conscious and glare at a white, shaking Draco. He blinked a couple of times to try and stave off the spots of black that were threatening to take over his consciousness, before he glanced past Draco at the sound of clapping. He didn't have the energy left in him to groan in dismay when he saw Lord Voldemort and several masked Death Eaters all standing just inside the doorway and staring at him in slight shock.

"Well, well. It looks like you can do a lot more than just talk to the dead. Perhaps now you will answer my questions." Harry just blinked at Voldemort before he shakily lifted his hand and gave him the finger, then collapsed to the floor and finally passed out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N - So, Harry snapped. To be fair, he hadn't eaten in at least seven days and if anyone has ever been hypoglycaemic, you'll know you tend to have a short fuse and scream abuse at whoever is near you just before you pass out. My brother says I pass out in order to avoid retaliation. *Snickers*
> 
> Let me know what you thought of this chapter! Let's be honest now, Draco totally deserved everything Harry gave him because he's an irritating little shit. Heh.
> 
> Oh! And yes, if anyone was wondering, should there be a pairing, then it'll be a toss up between Barty and Marcus. Feel free to let me know your opinions on this but a reason why you're against one/both of them would be nice. You know, something other than 'because I don't like them'. *Grins*
> 
> Remember now, reviews mean love! And I'm a shameless review whore… I love all reviews! Even the ones from the tenacious few that still want this to be Voldemort/Harry… you know who you are! *Grins* (Psst. You're totally gonna be disappointed, btw)
> 
> Fact of the chapter: Due to an overwhelming amount of people putting Jedi as their religion (yes, me included) on the 2001 England/Wales census, it was officially recognised as a religion. You are now allowed to request a Jedi Knight tp give you your last rights. *snickers* Totally not making this up. Also, yes, I'm well aware that it would have been illegal for Barty to actually access the data of any census held under a hundred years before but he's a Death Eater and flouting the Data Protections Act of 1998 is really the least of his worries. *grins*
> 
> Oh… and er… small confession… I've foolishly redownloaded The Sims 2… It's sucked out my soul. I'm terribly sorry.


	10. Chapter Nine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off, wow, the response to the previous chapter was just incredible. Glad you all seemed to like it so much! Thank you for your reviews! Hope you enjoy this chapter just as much! :)
> 
> Also, it was amusing just how many of you assumed Voldemort didn't allow Harry to drink. It was only stated that Voldemort withheld food, not drink. *Grins* And technically, a human being can hold out for up to three weeks with no food. It's only about three days without water though.

Chapter Nine

Harry winced when he woke up to the feeling of someone drilling their way out of his skull with extreme prejudice and couldn't stop himself from groaning like he was dying when he rolled onto his back and was promptly blinded when the bright sunlight somehow managed to shine through his closed eyelids and completely burn out his pupils. He mentally cursed whatever wanker thought it would be a good idea to take his sunglasses off him and not shut the bloody curtains.

"Good to see you finally conscious, Mr Waterhouse." Harry groaned once again when he heard Voldemort speak from somewhere near his head.

"Glasses," Harry whined, moving his hand to cover his eyes and somehow managing to withhold the pout he wanted to give when he heard the tell-tale sound of chains dragging along the floor when he moved. Apparently he was still chained up.

"What was that?"

"I need my sunglasses. The light is too bright," Harry somehow managed to force out, even though he currently felt like he was the hangover from hell but without the fun of having gotten drunk. He twitched slightly when he felt someone kneel by his head and then place what he hoped was his sunglasses on his face. When he opened his eyes, he gave a sigh of relief at the darkness and stared at a manically grinning Barty, who was the one who had apparently given him his glasses. "Yo, Barty."

"Our Lord has some questions for you," Barty told him, still grinning and moving to help him sit up before he stood up and moved back to stand just behind Voldemort, along with the rest of the inner circle apparently.

"He's not my lord. I have allegiance to another lord. A more powerful lord," Harry muttered without much thought, wincing as he shuffled so that he could lean against the wall he was chained to. Still.

"Indeed. That is one of the questions I would like answered. However, the first and most important one I feel would be what you did to young Mr Malfoy?" Voldemort questioned him. Harry glanced at him and shrugged all whilst trying to concentrate on himself enough to see where he was at concerning his magic. When he finally noticed it, it was barely existent it was so low, which explained to him why he couldn't see any dead people in the room and couldn't hear anyone yet. Though that also might be because they were just being ignorant fuckers.

"I taught him a well deserved lesson," Harry drawled, sneering over at where he spotted a very pale Draco being somewhat comforted by his emotionless father. Harry thought it was actually quite fascinating to watch.

"And what lesson would that be?" Voldemort asked him, making Harry really wish someone dead was talking to him just so they could advise him on what to say now. Though he fully accepted that the jig was probably up.

"Not to pick on those he deems weaker than him. Even kittens have sharp claws and teeth, plus wasn't it a kitten that eventually caused the death of the bloke in Trainspotting? Not the point, the point is, it's about time he learnt that. He's far too old to have gone this far without someone finally knocking him off that pedestal he placed himself on."

"Well, you do have a point there," Voldemort admitted smoothly, glancing over at Draco who was probably too traumatised by what had happened earlier to actually react. Actually, Harry had no idea how long he'd been unconscious for, though he deduced it hadn't been for long. "Tell me, what did you do to him?"

"Look, can we have this conversation after I've had something to eat? Or slept. Both would be good but I'm not greedy, one or the other. As it is, I have a banging headache, I feel somewhat queasy and the room is still spinning a little. So if you don't want me to pass out again or throw up on you, really, sleep or food," Harry told him with a small shrug, wishing he hadn't done that seconds later as the room seemed to lurch forward slightly and made his already dodgy stomach roll violently.

"I will have someone bring you some food. Should you have to sleep, you will sleep in here. Until I have my answers, I will not be unchaining you though. I will come back in an hour," Voldemort told him before leaving the room, the rest of the Death Eaters in the room with them leaving, only two lingering slightly to give Harry a small glance before they too both left.

He only had to wait a few minutes before a small elf popped in with a plate of food - Harry was happy to note it was meat-free - and placed it in front of him with a bow before popping back out of the room. With a sigh, Harry quickly ate the food in front of him, making sure not to over do it and cause himself to just throw it all up again, and then pushed the plate away from him and lay down on the floor hoping to get a bit of rest.

* * *

Just under an hour later and Harry was awake after having only gotten thirty minutes of sleep and was thankfully energised enough to finally be able to hear his ancestors, though they had told him not to bother trying to see them just yet as it would just wear him out.

"Protactinium."

_"You always use that!"_  Harry grinned at the indignant tone of Antioch and shuffled a little to get comfortable as he waited for Antioch's response.  _"It's unfair to use elements that were discovered after I died!"_

"That would be pretty much everything then. Thrilling. Now, stop whining and give me an element."

_"Fine. Platinum. You do always use Protactinium though."_

"So? It's an awesome element. And fun to say. It's my second favourite! Just behind my next element. Potassium!"

_"Lead."_

"What?! No! How does that begin with a P?!"

_"Its symbol is Pb. That begins with a P._ "

"That's cheating! You cheater!"

"Mr Waterhouse." Harry stopped in his whining about Antioch's blatant cheating and turned to see that Voldemort and his posse had arrived once again and were all looking at him like he was a little bit insane. Harry thought they would have been used to his randomness by now.

"Voldemort, how's it hanging?" Harry asked nonchalantly, trying not to show how desperately bored and tired he was. A change of scenery would really do him some good. Plus he'd also found out that metal cuffs really chafed.

"Now that you have eaten and rested, perhaps you would like to now enlighten us on what you did to young Mr Malfoy?" Voldemort asked him, moving into the room so that he could stand over where Harry was sitting on the floor, the rest of the inner circle Death Eaters walking in to stand in a semi-circle behind Voldemort like the well-trained minions they were.

_"Our Lord has stated that it is time the world once again knows of Necromancers. Therefore it's up to you to get that knowledge across. I say you should start with him."_ Harry glanced over to where Ignotus' voice came from and gave a small nod before taking a deep breath and actually telling someone other than his aunt just what he was.

"Well?"

"I'm a necromancer," Harry said, deciding to just rip the plaster off in one go so to speak. He then looked up when the silence grew a little and noticed all the Death Eaters  _and_  Voldemort were just staring at him, looking a little stunned.

"A necromancer?"

"Yep."

"Someone who can create inferi?" Voldemort asked him, raising an eyebrow when Harry sneered and visibly bristled at the question.

"No! I'm an actual necromancer, not one of those wannabe's who think they're playing with Death, when in reality they're just puppeteers acting above their station. If I were to raise the dead, they would be capable of thought and making decisions," Harry told him, crossing his arms over his chest and staring at Voldemort as though daring him to contradict him.

"What is the difference then? Could, say, I not do the same as you? I have created inferi after all."

"Have you indeed? Well, given what I know about your soul and your thoughts of Death, then I can tell you for a start that you are not a necromancer. Besides, it isn't about talent, it's about blood."

"Blood?"

"Yes. You think I'm a muggle. Hell, you think I'm human. I'm not. I'm a necromancer. It isn't just a designation of magic, it's a species. Were I to give a blood sample, it wouldn't come back as human. I didn't lie to that blond idiot when I said I literally had Death in my veins. He chose me upon my conception as having the right selection of genes and you could say he adopted me. He's my Lord, my Master and most of all, he's my creator."

"So he's your father?"

"No, he's more than that. You can betray, ignore, disown, murder or disobey your father. I cannot do any of those things to Death. He owns me."

"So you were not being rude and stubborn when you claimed you had another lord?"

"No, I wasn't. He is my Lord. I do what he tells me. He has recently passed on that wizards need to relearn of necromancers. It is my job, being the last in existence, to pass that word on. Starting with you," Harry explained, with a small shrug.

"What were you doing when you disappeared?" Voldemort asked him, still looking at him like he was a rare bug that needed to be dissected and studied. It was a somewhat unnerving look to be held under.

"Ah, that," Harry paused and glanced to the side where he knew the currently invisible - even to him - spirits were standing, watching this whole conversation.

_"Show him. You have enough energy for this should they require more than the proof of the bones themselves."_  Harry gave a nod at Ignotus' words and slowly moved his hand to his belt and tugged the ever-present pouch free from his belt.

"I made these," Harry said, holding up the pouch for everyone to see before he poured the bones inside out into his hand. "These are my bones. Freely offered bones of the dead who have something to offer me. Be that strength of will and character, determination, fore-sight, knowledge, wisdom, anything. I use these bones and they will give me whatever it is their previous owners treasured the most."

"Who do they belong to?" A masked Death Eater that Harry didn't recognise the voice of asked him, before shuffling at the unimpressed look Voldemort shot him over his shoulder.

"They belong to me. Unless you meant who  _did_  they belong to? In which case, they belonged to several people. Some related to me by blood, some involved in raising me and some just of the dead who had heard of me and offered when my mentor asked."

"Your mentor? Would that be Death?" Voldemort asked him, actually sounding genuinely curious, though Harry couldn't help but note that the man was now acting a lot more wary around him. Harry guessed that his relatives were right, Voldemort truly did fear Death.

"No. Death is my master, not my mentor. The dead are my mentors, but my main one would be the last necromancer to have lived. You've probably heard of him and his brothers. Though only in fairy tales."

"Oh? And who are they?"

"The Peverell's. My main mentor is Ignotus Peverell," Harry told them, smirking when many of the Death Eaters couldn't prevent themselves from gasping out loud.

"The last owner of the Deathly Hallows?" Voldemort asked him with a raised eyebrow, looking like he wasn't entirely sure he should believe Harry or not.

"Sure, if that's what you want to focus on. I'd forget about them though, they're lost. No one will be able to own all three ever again. So I'd get that idea out of your mind. The more important thing to know is that he was the last necromancer before I came along.  _He_  was the one who ensured no one living would ever remember the necromancer race until it was once again time."

"Why? Why erase them from history?"

"It was too dangerous. Wizards became fearful and jealous of what they couldn't have. Never mind that they had powers we couldn't access, they wanted what we had. So they started to look for ways to gain it. The Deathly Hallows were one way, when Antioch was murdered for his wand, Cadmus and Ignotus realised they needed a plan. Death and Magic aided them and soon the knowledge of necromancers was lost and died with them."

"So you are not immortal then?"

"No, not really. Death can refuse to take our soul if He feels there is more we can do whilst alive, but other than that, we can still die. Besides, who wants to live forever? The best friends I've made are all dead, when I die, I get to meet them once more. Death is nothing to fear and everything to look forward to."

"You sound suicidal," Voldemort told him dryly, looking highly unimpressed by what Harry felt was a rather impassioned speech. Apparently not so much to those that actually  _do_  fear death.

"Not really. I'm happy alive, I'm just saying if I  _were_  to die, it wouldn't exactly be a terrible thing."

"Quite. So you can raise the dead so that they are capable of thought?"

"Yep."

"So you can raise me an army of the dead?"

"No."

"Pardon?"

"I wouldn't raise you an army. Ignoring the fact that Death would not allow it and would punish me quite severely for doing so, I wouldn't do it anyway."

"And why not?"

"Because, why the hell should the dead fight for you? They've lived their life, fought their battles, who are we to raise them and make them fight once more for something that doesn't affect them. So many people die during war and feel relief that they no longer have to fight. Death is a release and escape for so many out there and you want to drag them from that peace to fight your war? No. I'm not doing it."

"And if I were to… persuade you?"

"There is not enough persuasion in the world to get me to do that. The dead are happy to spy for me so to speak, happy to keep an eye on my enemies, and thus your enemies and tell me of their plans, but only because it doesn't take them away from the afterlife. Passing on information is not fighting. Torture me all you like, you'll just piss me, the dead and Death off," Harry told him, bristling slightly at the idea of being forced to raise the dead.

"But you  _can_  raise the dead?"

"Yes, I can. Were I to decide to have a bloody tea party with the dead and they agreed to it, then I could raise them and let them join in. But there's a hell of a difference between raising the dead to join you in a cup of tea and raising the dead to fight a battle you're too cowardly to fight yourself."

"What good are you then if you cannot raise the dead?" Voldemort asked him with a sneer on his face, clearly having forgotten most of what had happened to bring them to this point.

"Ask Draco? I'm pretty sure he knows not to mess with me now."

"True. What is it you did to him, exactly?"

"I essentially ripped out his living essence, and then I stole a piece of that essence so that, should he completely lose his mind and decide to piss me off again, I can control him. Similar to that spell of yours, the imperius? Only there is no way of breaking this spell. He would basically be my puppet. He really shouldn't have pushed me."

"He never has shown much self-preservation. I've always wondered how he got into Slytherin," Voldemort admitted, making Harry grin when one of the masked Death Eaters gave a small huff of indignation.

"So now you know what I am and pretty much what I can do, are you going to finally let me go? I promise I'll let you know should I need to go traipsing around graveyards and cemeteries again," Harry promised, though not entirely meaning it as he was pretty certain he'd wander off at some point in the future without telling anyone. His aunt called him a free spirit… well, when she was feeling nice. The rest of the time, she called him an annoying little shit who couldn't sit still.

"Soon. Before though, is there anything else I should know?"

"Fairies are allergic to me."

"Pardon?" Voldemort asked, looking for all the world like he had no idea what he was now staring at, nor what it was trying to tell him. Something Harry felt he should be insulted by but really didn't have the energy by this point.

"Well, I'm sort of fatal to fairies. Most small creatures actually. See, I have a sort of aura of death magic surrounding me. And little creatures, like fairies, are overwhelmed by this aura and it just sort of sucks their life essence and soul out of them. It's a bit awkward. I mean, it's not like it's my fault or anything but the little shits don't see it that way! Oh… and well, owls are fine around me for a time, but the longer they stay in my vicinity, the weaker they get until they kinda snuff it. Larger than an eagle owl, and it's fine though! I think," Harry added absently, before glancing over to where he thought his uncles were standing.

_"We never tried either. Not like anyone has the time to hug a damned cat for twenty-four hours. Though I imagine we were all tempted to test it with your neighbours bloody yapping dog. Why it had a problem with you, I don't know!"_  Cadmus ranted, much to Harry amusement, though he did agree with Cadmus about the dog.

"I think it probably smelt death."

_"No excuse."_

"I didn't say it was an excuse. I'm just saying that's probably why it took such a dislike to me. In fairness though, it was quite a small dog, smaller than a cat and probably about the same size as an owl, so I could totally suck its soul out, I bet."

"Is he talking about killing someone's pet?" Harry ignored the hissed whisper from one of the Death Eaters, though he did absently wonder why they took umbrage to him killing a pet when they killed fathers, mothers and children. Probably. Though he didn't actually have proof of that.

_"I doubt Mrs Fairbrother would appreciate that. Though you won't see me actually stopping you should you wish to try."_

"Good to know. So, Lord Voldemort, can I please leave here now and go back to my room? I really would like to be able to sleep in an actual bed now that you know it wouldn't be wise at all to kill me."

"You have never actually said  _why_  it would be a bad idea to kill you. You just pointed out why it wouldn't be wise to torture you."

"Well, I'd have assumed the same people that would be pissed you tortured me, would also be pissed that you killed me. But, if that's not a good enough reason, then you should probably be aware that it's considered bad luck to kill a necromancer," Harry told him with a wide smile, though inside he really just wanted to sleep and stop with all the carefully worded games and deals.

"Bad luck?"

"Yep. You know the myth of the Elder Wand, right? Well, the first person who owned that wand after Antioch didn't live for long, did he? He killed a necromancer, his luck took a swift and sudden nose-dive."

"I thought it was the wand that was unlucky," Voldemort pointed out, to which Harry just shrugged and shook his head.

"No. It was the original act of killing a necromancer. Of course, it didn't help that the wand was created for Antioch and didn't want to be owned by another. When you rely so much on a weapon that doesn't want to help you, you're really shit out of luck."

"Must you be so crude all the time?"

"I haven't truly slept for over a week, deal with my crude language. Or let me sleep."

"Fine, I will let you go, but you will tell me when you leave and why you are doing so. And I expect that we will have another conversation in my office at a later date about what else you can do. I imagine you do not wish for everyone to know your secrets."

"True."

"Good. There is one thing I would like to know though."

"Oh?"

"Yes, is it possible for you to find out who the spy you mentioned is?" Voldemort asked him, ignoring the shuffling behind him from the Death Eaters as they muttered to one another about the spy. Clearly all were still a little miffed that there was one in the first place.

"I don't know their name. It has never been said in a meeting and if any of the dead know who it is, then they aren't saying. If I meet them, however, then I can have the person I have watching Dumbledore, tell me who it is."

"You have a specific person watching him? So the dead are not omniscient?"

"No. What the hell kind of peace would that be? To constantly be aware of everyone and everything living. No, when you die, you can choose what or who you watch over, if anything. There is something. Some place that the dead can go where they don't have to acknowledge the living world. I don't know what it is, admittedly. It's something you can only learn of when you've died. I only know of it's vague existence. Still, I have to assign people to keep an eye on certain people or places if I want more detailed information. Basically, I have my own spies positioned."

"Interesting to know."

"Great. So, can I please go now?"

"Yes. You are now free to do as you wish within reason," Voldemort told him, before the chains tying Harry to the wall were vanished with a wave of Voldemort's wand. Harry gave a small sigh of relief and rubbed at his sore wrists, before slowly standing up and bowing his head slightly to Voldemort.

"Cheers. Now, excuse me but I'm in need of a shower and then some sleep. I'll come find you when I'm feeling a bit more awake and with it."

* * *

Harry managed to sleep, uninterrupted, for fourteen hours and awoke the next day feeling slightly more refreshed than he had for days and was pleased that he could see his family once again. Clearly he was fully rejuvenated.

Given the early hour that he had woken up, Harry had decided to just catch up with the dead and find out the gossip, and also get news on how his shop was. He was relieved to know that no one had destroyed it or broken in to it, but he was still pissed that Dumbledore had placed wards over both his properties to alert him in Harry should return. He really just wanted to open his bakery. It was driving him mad.

Harry's conversation with his relatives was interrupted around eight in the morning by a light tapping on his window, which completely confused Harry.

"What's that?"

_"I believe your menace of an owl is at the window,"_  Sylv told him, making Harry glance at her and then to the window and saw that she was right.

"What on earth does he want? I thought I'd finally got rid of the pest," Harry grumbled, getting out of bed and walking over to the window to let the insane owl in. He quickly gave a muffled squeak as the owl dive-bombed him and pecked at his head before leaving him alone and settling on Harry's bedpost.

"Hoo."

"What the fuck does 'Hoo' mean? Do we know anyone that speaks owl?"

_"In all my years, dead and alive, I've never come across someone who could talk to owls. Or, indeed, who_ _thought_ _they could speak to owls,"_ Antioch drawled, staring at the insane owl that was now gnawing at the bed post without taking its eyes off of Harry. Who was just staring back at it.

"It'd be kinda cool being able to speak to animals."

_"Of course, Dr Doolittle. Maybe you should just follow the owl,"_  Sylv pointed out, making Harry blink and look at her before looking back at Horus when he hooted and bobbed his head in what  _could_  be seen as a nod.

"Is he supposed to be able to understand us? Seriously, this owl freaks me out and I talk to the dead on a regular basis, so that's really something."

_"No, it's not. You got freaked out by a mink coat."_

"It squeaked in pain!"

_"Don't be stupid, the dead can't feel pain."_

"It can remember it! That's not the point, now, you stupid owl, do you want me to follow you?" Harry asked, mentally wondering just  _why_  he was speaking to an owl like it could understand him. He was therefore stunned when Horus once again bobbed his head and then flew out of Harry's window. "He surely doesn't expect me to follow him out of the window."

_"I'm not an expert in understanding owls, but I believe he's just waiting for you outside. I suggest you just go to where he's waiting before he gets annoyed and comes for you. You know he likes to try and pull your beads out,"_  Sylv pointed out with a poorly hidden grin, to which Harry just glared at her before sighing and grabbing his darker sunglasses so he didn't blind himself in the sun.

"Come on then, let's go see what the annoyance wants," Harry muttered, walking out of his room and heading through the hallways of Riddle Manor. He reached the doors of the manor without anyone stopping him and, given he wasn't actually intending to the leave the grounds, Harry shrugged and left - it was too late to double back and inform Voldemort that he would be leaving to go into the cemetery to talk to an owl of all things anyway. Plus he didn't want to admit what it was he was going to do.

Even he had his limits on how insane he wanted people to think he was.

"Where'd he go?"

_"I believe he's sitting on my grave, young Necromancer."_

"Hi, Tom. Don't suppose you can speak owl, can you?"

_"I'm afraid not. My wayward son is the only person I know of that can talk to an animal._ "

"Damn. Well, let's go see if we can find out what he wants then," Harry mumbled, walking through the headstones to where Tom Riddle Senior's grave was. As soon as he was within sight of the grave, Horus hooted at him and gave a weird little hop-bob on the spot.

It became pretty apparent what Horus wanted with him once he stood by the grave and noticed hissing on the floor by his feet, looking down, Harry was stunned to see a snake that looked far too much like Telemacchus, Charlus' snake, to be a coincidence.

"Er… someone needs to go get a parseltongue. Preferably dead  _and_  sane, but I'm not too picky," Harry added, really hoping that they didn't come back with Voldemort's criminally insane uncle.

_"Cadmus claimed that the only living necromancer needed a parseltongue. Winthrop Slytherin at your service,"_ a stocky looking spirit with dark narrow eyes and a gaunt looking face said, bowing his head at Harry slightly before smirking at him.

"Er… Right. Well, my owl wanted me to come here and it seems my brother's snake is waiting for me. Possibly. Well, I'm assuming it's my brother's snake. It  _looks_  like Tel."

_"So you want me to basically act as a translator? That is fine,_ " Winthrop told him with a nod, before he looked at the snake.  _"He cannot see me, can he?"_

"Oh right! Of course! Erm… I can do this one of two ways, but there's one that would allow me to access your gift for the duration of your visit."

_"Would that not be line theft?"_ Winthrop asked him, eyes narrowing a touch in suspicion as he took a step back from Harry.

Before Harry could defend himself, however, Antioch stepped forward between Winthrop and Harry, and looked at the now wary spirit.

_"It would not be line theft for several reasons, the main one being Harry would not keep your gift once he lets you go. There is also the fact this is more risky for him than it is for you,"_  Antioch explained, before stepping back to the side to stand next to his brothers and nodding for Harry to continue.

"Antioch's right. If we were to go this route, I would essentially be giving you partial control of my mind and body. Only partial control, mind. You wouldn't be possessing me, just sharing your essence with me so I can understand what Tel is saying," Harry told him, trying to keep his face and voice from showing just how nervous he was to do this. Something he had never done before and had, in fact, only learnt of in theory six months before.

_"How is it risky for you? I do not wish to harm Death's favourite mortal."_

"Oh, well, if you don't fight me and accept the touch of my magic in your spirit, then it should go smoothly. However, if you fight me there is a chance our essences will clash and it'll either kill me outright, irreparably damage my connection to my death energy or turn me into a dementor. They didn't just appear out of nowhere after all."

_"What would happen to me should any of those things happen?"_

_"In essence, nothing would happen. However, as you rightly pointed out, Horatio is Death's current favourite and should something happen to him, He may well take it out on you. However, he is Death's favourite for a reason and he is blessed in more ways than he actually knows. It is very unlikely Death would allow anything unfavourable to happen to Horatio,"_  Ignotus told Winthrop before Harry could even think of what the answer would be.

_"I said I would help you if I could, and this is something I can do to help you, so you have my trust. Just do not keep the gift I am lending you."_

"I wouldn't be able to even if I had wanted to. Magic doesn't work like that. She wouldn't let me keep something that is not mine."

_"Very well, what is it we need to do? Your snake is starting to get anxious, so I believe we should do whatever it is and soon."_

"Right. You need to stand behind me, facing my back and as close as you can without walking through me, then you need to rest your hand over the left side of my head, making sure you're only covering one bead. The others shouldn't be in the way," Harry told him, smiling slightly when Winthrop just nodded and moved to follow his direction.

_"Now what?"_

"Now you just concentrate on me and that bead. When you feel my magic reaching out to you, don't fight it. Allow it to wash over you. When it fills you, that is when you physically grab on to the bead."

_"I will be able to?"_

"If this works, then yes. Now, are you ready?"

_"I am."_

"Right! Remember, don't fight me," Harry told him and then closed his eyes and focused on the cold, shadowy energy that filled him and concentrated on manipulating said energy into the spirit standing behind him. He felt his energy reach out and had to withhold a sigh of relief when Winthrop accepted it without hesitation. A few more minutes passed before Harry felt something tug on the bead and Harry willed his energy to return to his body along with the spirit it was currently embracing.

The next moment felt like it took hours and at the same time felt like only seconds passed before he had the uncomfortable sensation of ice cold air hitting him and robbing him of breath. Harry gasped and drew in an almost painful breath, before opening his eyes and having to grab onto the headstone he was standing next to as his vision double and wavered before finally settling.

"This is so very weird," Harry muttered, almost shuddering when he felt something in the back of his mind give a feeling of agreement. "Winthrop, I need you to concentrate on what it is you wish to lend me."

Again, Harry felt an alien presence in the back of his mind give its agreement and then Harry gasped and smiled brightly as he felt a spark of foreign energy wash over him like he'd just stepped into direct sunlight.

Harry then glanced down at Telemacchus - who had fallen silent when Harry and Winthrop had started the merging - and smiled brightly at the little snake which was no longer little. He was, in fact, at least five foot in length now and as thick as Harry's arm.

" _ **Telemacchus?**_ " Harry startled a little at hearing his own voice come out with an echo of hisses to it. The snake looked up at him and slithered closer to Harry. Harry grinned before quickly sitting on the ground so he was more level with the large snake.

" _ **You have changed much since you were taken from your nest, little Life Giver,**_ " Telemacchus hissed at him, making Harry smile widely at the snake - though he did wonder about the nickname.

" _ **I guess I have. You've changed too. I'm glad to see you looking so healthy and slightly more deadly than before. Charlie chose well, huh?**_ "

" _ **I like to think I chose him. However I have never regretted doing so.**_ "

" _ **Well that's good. So… what are you doing here? Actually, how did you**_ _ **get**_ _ **here?**_ " Harry asked the snake, getting to the real reason he was sitting in the middle of a cemetery talking to a snake with a dead roommate currently inhabiting the back of his mind.

" _ **My little snakeling is troubled and he feels that you are really the only one who could possibly help him in any way. He used some sort of magic to send me to your place of residence, only you were not there. The owl seemed to know I was looking for you and brought me here.**_ "

" _ **Wait, what? How could I help Charlie? I'm a muggle! And I thought James had told everyone I was dead. And how did he know where I was?**_ "

" _ **Your mother knew you were not a squib but she did not know what you were. Charlus knew. Well, he suspected and I confirmed it. Knowledge of your kind may have been wiped from the memories of humans and wizards, but there are still some species who remember you. Snakes are just one of them.**_ "

" _ **Okay… what does that have to do with anything though?**_ " Harry asked, feeling like he would have more luck getting blood from a stone than he was in getting a straight answer from his brother's familiar.

" _ **As I said, your mother knew there was something about you. Charlus also knew. Lily worried that wizards would eventually want to get their hands on you so she hid all knowledge she had of you except your existence from her mind. She made your brother the secret keeper of that knowledge.**_ "

" _ **What? What does that mean?**_ "

" _ **A few months before you turned fifteen, things in the wizarding world started becoming more dangerous. Dumbledore implied Charlus would need help in his battle. Lily took that as a threat towards you, whether rightly or wrongly, Charlus agreed. They both knew no one suspected Charlus of remembering you or having any feelings towards you. No one realised how close you were as children. Because of all this, no one would ever suspect Charlus of hiding your existence with his soul and magic.**_ "

" _ **But Dumbledore found me,**_ " Harry couldn't help but point out, feeling slightly stunned by the revelation and feeling like a worry he hadn't realised he harboured had left him upon hearing his brother remembered him and still cared for him.

" _ **No. He found your aunt. Lily and Charlus could not fully hide your existence, it would have raised suspicions if James suddenly didn't recall that he had a second son - whether alive or not - and Remus would have wondered why he had a godfather link to nothing. So people still remembered you, but they could recall nothing else. No one knows what happened to you, what you looked like when you left or indeed when exactly you left. They just know you existed, you were a squib and that you disappeared one day. Unfortunately for you, Dumbledore obviously remembered all of this and he researched your mother's family. He found out your aunt had died and had left everything she owned to her nephew. You.**_ "

" _ **So he doesn't know anything else?**_ "

" _ **No. Your brother still holds the secret. He hasn't even told Lily. He only told me so that I could find you and ask for help.**_ "

" _ **How does he think I can help though? I don't want to fight in this war. I have no wizarding magic, this war does not involve me. I'll only reenter the wizarding world once the war is won. By whatever side.**_ "

" _ **He does not want you to fight. He does not want to fight. Charlus wants to hide. He wants to disappear. He thinks you can help him in this. And if not you, then either your Lord or your contacts.**_ "

" _ **And Charlus knows what I am?**_ " Harry asked, frowning as he tried to compute everything Telemacchus was telling him and wondering what it is he should do.

" _ **You and he were as close as twins from the moment you were born. He always knew you could see things he couldn't and he knew you were special. He just didn't know what it was you could see until he confided in me and I told him what I suspected. Charlus didn't worry too much about you when you left because he knew you would have many more people watching your back than he ever would and they would protect you more than he could if you had stayed in their world. You are his baby brother. He did everything he could to protect you. Now he has admitted to himself that perhaps he needs his baby brother's help to get away from this war and Dumbledore.**_ "

" _ **But what about mum, Dahlia and Rose? Who would watch over them with neither me nor Charlus around?**_ " Harry asked, nibbling on his lip anxiously and glancing towards the manor even though he knew one of the Peverell's would warn him if Voldemort was coming near. This was too important to be overheard.

" _ **Lily knows Charlus plans to disappear. She supports his decision. She has sent your sisters out of the country under the pretence of a world tour and she has made her own plans to get away should she need to.**_ "

" _ **And Charlie trusts me to help him?**_ "

" _ **He does.**_ "

" _ **Well, who am I to say no? You need to tell him that we need to talk somehow. Does he know how the muggle world works?**_ "

" _ **Your mother ensured all of her children would be able to survive in the muggle world, not just you. Do not worry, your siblings stayed connected to their muggle ancestry and have kept up to date with all changes this magic-free world has gone through.**_ "

" _ **So he knows what a phone is?**_ "

" _ **He does. He and your sisters all have a walking phone?**_ "

" _ **Mobile,**_ " Harry corrected with a small smile at the snake's mistake.

" _ **Yes, that. They all have one. Though I believe they only use them when there isn't any magic around to interfere and they only talk to each other with them.**_ "

" _ **Okay, that helps a lot. If I give you my number, do you think you can remember it long enough to tell Charlus what it is?**_ " Harry asked, suddenly very glad that his little used mobile phone had been in his bag when he'd fled to Voldemort. He just had to find an electricity source to charge it which shouldn't be too hard given Riddle Manor is a muggle building.

" _ **I will be able to tell him it.**_ " Harry nodded at the snakes answer and then slowly gave his number to the snake, waiting a moment before he then asked Telemacchus to repeat it to him. Happy that the snake had recalled the right number, Harry stood up, wincing a little as his knees clicked and the blood rushed back into his legs.

" _ **Tell him to send me a text when he can talk and I'll make sure I'm somewhere I won't be overheard. In the mean time, I'll try to find out what Voldemort plans to do should he capture Charlus and I'll work with my… contacts to make a plan to hide Charlus. Do you have a safe way of getting back to Charlus?**_ " Harry asked the snake, glancing over his shoulder when Cadmus shuffled uncomfortably and shot a look in the direction of Riddle Manor. Harry got the hint and nodded.

" _ **I will find a way back to him.**_ "

" _ **Horus will take you back to him. Stay safe and protect my brother,**_ " Harry asked of the snake and then stepped back when Horus swooped down and gently grasped Telemacchus in his claws and flew away. Harry took a moment to focus on his emotions and calm himself down before he focused on the energy of Winthrop and slowly stared to separate it from his own. "Winthrop, you can let go of the bead now."

Harry felt a small wave of agreement wash over him and then winced as Winthrop's essence was gently tugged out of his soul and the spirit stepped out of him.

_"That was quite a strange experience. I am glad to have been able to help you though. Should you need my help to talk to that snake again, then you only have to ask."_

"Thank you, Winthrop. You were a great help! And thank you for your generous offer!"

_"It is nothing, Little Necromancer. The whipsers in the beyond about you did not give you near enough credit. It was an honour to help you,"_  Winthrop told him with a small smile on his face.

"Oh, um… thank you?"

_"You're quite welcome. I'll be leaving now as I believe my descendant is looking for you,"_  Winthrop told him with a smirk before he faded out of view. Harry sighed and turned to look at the Peverell's and his aunt.

"That was interesting. I'll tell you what I learnt once I've found out what Voldemort wants, if that's okay with you four?"

_"That is fine with us. I imagine Voldemort wishes to continue your conversation from yesterday now that you are awake,"_  Ignotus pointed out, grinning when Harry just groaned and rolled his eyes.

"Of course. Well, better not keep him waiting then, huh?" Harry said before turning on the balls of his feet and walking back towards the Manor and Voldemort for what he was sure would be a long, drawn out and boring conversation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N - This chapter took me so long to write (partly because my life has decided to suck at the moment)! And it ended up being way longer than I expected it would! Seriously, half of what happened I hadn't actually planned to happen! They just took over and did whatever the hell they wanted! Actually, the same could be said for the next chapter as well. A character turns up in that that I hadn't intended to include for quite a while… XD
> 
> Still, I hope this answers some questions about what Harry can do, as well as some questions people had about the beads in Harry's hair. *Grins*
> 
> Oh! And I never really said who took Lily's memories of where Harry was from her. Lol! It also let's you know that the dead don't know everything and they can interpret actions incorrectly. Also, it's not terribly surprising that Harry doesn't hate his brother. What did Charlus ever do to him, after all? *Grins*
> 
> Hope you liked this chapter! Let me know what you thought! Reviews mean love! :D
> 
> Chapter Fact: Upon researching my family, I have found that i am related to a murderer, several thieves, god knows how many illegitimate children, a WW1 gunner who spent more time in the military prison than in the trenches (apparently a very smart man...) and a orangeman who was hanged for treason. And so far I've only made it as far back as the mid 1800s...
> 
> Oh yes! Before I forget… thought I ought to tell you that Marcus won the vote! :D Quite a few people wanted all three to be together (more than wanted just Barty actually). Those that worried about it suddenly becoming a romance fic, no fears there! I suck at writing romance! *Snickers* It'll be a background thing… possibly a complete farce as Marcus battles to get the slightly dense and so very oblivious Harry to realise he has feelings for him. *Snort*


	11. Chapter Ten

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Winces* Yeah. My bad. This is a wee bit late… In my defence I've foolishly decided to make my mum a tapestry of her family tree for Christmas. Which is actually kinda nearer than I thought (73 sleeps apparently). So yeah… I've been doing that. And making up more and more imaginative curses the more the damned thread tangles. *Mutters* Yep. I'm a fool. Still, Rest assured, I'm not abandoning this, even if there may be a few longer delays between chapters. Plus I've got three cons coming up in the next two months, one of which is London Film and Comic Con so I'll be busy making stock to sell as well! Bear with me, please! I promise I'll still be writing this every chance I get! Thank you for your patience! :D

Chapter Ten

The following days, and then weeks, after Harry's meeting and conversation with his brother's familiar went quickly and though Harry had managed to actually find an electricity source and had charged his phone - now keeping it on him at all times - Harry had yet to hear back from his brother. He was actually starting to get a little worried about Charlus and was also beginning to wonder if Telemacchus had just forgotten Harry's mobile number. It really wouldn't have surprised him.

At that moment however, Harry was heading towards Barty's rooms to meet with the man, before he left to celebrate Mabon - something none of his relatives had let him forget about. Harry arrived at the doors to Barty's rooms and knocked, smiling brightly at the slightly mentally unstable man when he answered the door.

"Hey, Barty! How's things going?" Harry asked as he walked into the room and went to sit on the sofa he normally sat on in these visits - something that had become quite regular since Harry had met the man during his slight incarceration - watching as the pale man moved to sit opposite him.

"I am fine, little muggle. I believe my lord has a task for me soon enough, though I don't know what it will be. It does mean I'll probably be away. How are you? I heard you asked my lord if you could have free reign of the cemetery and the part of the woods that are within his wards. How come?" Barty asked him, twitching slightly and glancing around them suspiciously before turning his attention back to Harry, who was just fascinated by the man's actions. He still hadn't actually worked out what it was Barty was looking for.

"Oh, it's Mabon tonight. You know, the celebration of the second harvest, which means equality and balance. I get the impression that wizards don't celebrate it though. I spent the morning making a few garlands and such that I'll be using and I may have quickly visited my garden for the herbs and things that I'd need for the celebrations as well," Harry admitted with a small sheepish grin, only getting a mildly scolding look from Barty in return.

"You know my lord wouldn't be pleased to learn of that."

"Which is why I didn't tell him! And you won't either, will you, Barty?"

"If he doesn't ask me, then I see no reason why I should," Barty admitted with a smirk, getting a laugh from Harry.

"I knew I could trust you. Want to join me in my celebrations tonight? I asked Marcus but he said he didn't follow it so it wouldn't be right to join in. Ridiculous reasoning to me but I'm not known to actually follow the rules," Harry added with a grin, which widened when Barty snorted in amusement.

"Well, I don't celebrate Mabon either, but I don't see why that would stop me joining you. Exactly what is involved in the celebrations?" Barty asked him and Harry shifted a little, ignoring the chuckles of Ignotus and Cadmus, who had both just appeared from the Green Room of the Dead, where they'd been spending the earlier part of the day with their former wives.

_"I'm interested to find out what his reaction will be._ "

"Shh," Harry hissed at Cadmus before turning back to Barty, who hadn't even blinked at the interruption - something Harry found he really liked about Barty - and smiling sheepishly at him. "Well… The first part of the night, which happens before three am, you wear a plain robe - normally in earthy colours like reds, oranges and browns - and you show your appreciation of those that came before you and have since departed. And, you know, celebrate the balance between and equality of life and death, and well, mysteries and the second harvest as well, but I focus less on those because of what I am. Technically speaking, necromancers only celebrated the balance and equality part of Mabon."

"Sounds alright so far, why do you seem hesitant to admit what else happens?" Barty asked him, eyes narrowed with suspicion, and Harry cursed the man's increased sense of paranoia.

"Well, okay fine, after three am, we need to shed our earthly shackles so to speak and celebrate our life whilst embracing our - or mine at least - lord, Death and His decision for when we shall leave this plane. Thing is, shedding our earthly shackles is interpreted by shedding our robes. So… we'd be naked. But, technically, you don't have to do that part because you're not a necromancer. The more pagan Mabon celebrations don't involved gratuitous nudity. Apparently," Harry muttered under his breath, looking sideways at where Cadmus and Ignotus were snickering.

"So I wouldn't have to join in the part where you get naked?" Barty asked him, smirking when Harry turned bright red and shook his head, mentally cursing his pale skin and dark blush.

"No, you wouldn't have to join in that part. Just the first half," Harry confirmed, glaring slightly when Barty's smirk widened.

"Fine. I'll join in."

"Really?!" Harry asked, not entirely sure he'd heard right, a glance to the stunned Peverells standing to the side showed they were also shocked at Barty's answer.

"Yes. I will just leave you before the final half of the night. I believe I have a brown robe somewhere," Barty added, almost to himself as he started to look around the room as though expecting said brown robe to miraculously appear in front of him.

Though, from what Harry knew about magic, that could well actually happen.

"That's great! I'll get everything else sorted out then! I'll meet you outside in about three hours, yeah?" Harry asked, smiling widely at Barty and actually looking forward to having someone living to share his celebrations with for the first time in a long while. "Oh, and don't eat too much. I'll be bringing food with me that we can eat."

And with that, Harry jumped up from his seat, darted forward to give Barty a quick pat on the shoulder - Harry wasn't a fan of too much human contact, it brought about bad things - and then rushed out of the room before Barty could actually form any kind of response or answer.

* * *

Harry excitedly hurried out of the manor, everything he would possibly need for that night bundled up and held securely in his hands as he quickly made his way to the bottom of the steps, where he could see Barty was waiting for him in his usual twitchy paranoid manner. Harry couldn't help but beam happily when he saw that Barty was wearing a set of expensive looking robes in a rich dark chocolate brown. They made Harry's own set of dark red robes look a little bedraggled and threadbare.

"Barty! You actually came! I kinda thought you were just saying yes so that I wouldn't pester you. Generally that's why most people agreed with whatever I asked them to do. Well, by people, I mean my aunt. Or the dead," Harry added hastily, grinning sheepishly when Barty just looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't agree to anything that I do not intend to do," Barty told him, smirking when Harry just beamed at him.

"Well, I'm glad! So let's go!"

"What is it we'll be doing, exactly?" Barty asked him as he followed Harry down the main driveway of the large manor and towards the private cemetery that was just inside the wards.

"Oh, you know, celebrating the second harvest by eating the food I've brought, celebrating the balance and equality of Death. Well, you could celebrate the mystery as well, but when you talk to the dead on a regular basis, the mystery is pretty much lost," Harry admitted with a shrug.

"Will your relatives be here with you as well?"

"Yeah. Well, eventually. They've all spent most of the day with the dead relatives I can't speak to away from their grave or place of death. Right now, no one is with us but I imagine they'll meet us at the graves," Harry told him with a shrug, fairly certain that at least Ignotus and Aunty Sylv would be there, as they were every year. Voldemort's great uncle Ranulph would probably be there as well, seeing as he found the whole thing fascinating.

"What else will we do?"

"We'll decorate the graves with acorns, pine cones, leaves, flowers and such. I've got a selection of items to choose from. And I've made a couple of garlands as well to place on some certain graves that I have a connection to. Basically though, we'll just be celebrating what the night means. Apparently, according to Antioch at least, wizards used to celebrate on some of these nights as it increased their connection to the Great Mother Magic. It doesn't work for me, but it might for you. You just have to believe it will."

"The Great Mother Magic?"

"Yeah… you know, the being who chooses who gets Her gift and who does not," Harry said, looking at Barty with a small frown when he realised Barty had no idea who he was talking about.

_"You'll find that wizards forgot their origins long ago and became delusional with the thought they were minor gods to the muggles. None believe that there is a deity out there who gifts those unborn souls she deems worthy. That would mean they weren't all powerful. You'll find that is probably the reason why wizards have been getting weaker generation by generation. And why there are less and less of them each year. She is no longer finding them worthy."_

"Antioch! I didn't know you'd be here tonight," Harry said happily, pushing what Antioch had just told him to the back of his mind for the time being as he greeted the spirit leaning against Tom Riddle Snr's headstone. Barty just glanced at where Harry was looking before shrugging and taking a spot against another headstone.

_"And miss you actually celebrating Mabon with a living being? That is not very likely."_  Antioch told him with a smirk that just received a glare from Harry.

"Right. Of course. How could I have foolishly convinced myself for a second that it was just because you wanted to spend time with me," Harry muttered, pouting childishly and then turning his back on Antioch and focusing on Barty. "As to your question, The Great Mother is the being who gifted you with magic. Just like Death gifted me. Admittedly, tonight isn't one of Her nights, Her next one is Samhain. I think."

"We don't learn about her," Barty admitted with a shrug, though Harry got the feeling that Barty wasn't brushing him off.

"You should. But maybe even if just you acknowledge Her, that will be enough. I mean, you have nothing to lose, right? And Death isn't going to care that you showed The Great Mother respect instead of Himself," Harry told him with a shrug, placing his bundle down on the ground and picking out a tiny bunch of marigolds, thistles and roses, tied together with a stem of honeysuckle and stood up with it. "Here. My gift to you on this eve of Mabon."

Barty took the small bunch of flowers from Harry with a bemused expression on his face before he grinned widely and nodded his head at Harry. "No one gives me gifts normally."

"Really? Huh. That's a little sad. I should change that! Admittedly, I don't actually tend to get gifts anymore, either. Well, unless it's practical, like bones. The dead give me those."

_"Glad to be appreciated,"_ Ignotus drawled, having appeared at some point during Harry and Barty's small exchange.

"You're always appreciated, Ignotus."

"Could I put a charm on this so it doesn't die?" Barty asked, looking at the flowers in his hand like it was something he'd never seen before. Harry just watched him silently for a moment or two before the question registered in his head.

"Huh. Marcus asked something similar when I gave him his. But the answer is no. Sorry. That's not really what nature intended. Everything has its time, including those flowers. But, you can always press them in a heavy book. That'll preserve them a little," Harry told him with a shrug. He hadn't even known there were spells that prevented things from dying until Marcus had asked him earlier, but the whole thing made him feel slightly uncomfortable. Understandable really, given how connected to the dead he was. Still, nothing should live forever in his mind.

"Ah, I will have to do that then. Sorry for not thinking. I imagine things that don't die make you somewhat uncomfortable," Barty said, making Harry wonder if the man could read his mind in a fit of paranoia before realising that was impossible and just giving another beaming smile at the twitchy man.

"Exactly! Now, first we'll decorate the graves a little, then we'll sit next to Tom Riddle's grave and eat some of the food, give thanks and just try to connect with either Death or The Great Mother. Um… maybe you really shouldn't try to connect with Death," Harry added, ignoring the snickering from his relatives.

"Why not?"

"Just in case it works and er… you die."

"Ah. Best not to then."

_"No one ever accused my grandson of being stupid."_  Harry looked to the side and saw that Caspar Crouch had also joined them, really the cemetery was going to be jam-packed at this rate.

"Probably a good idea. Unless you're suicidal. Well. Even then it'd be a shit idea, because there's no guarantee Death would actually feel or even accept the connection. Really, if you want to kill yourself, there are probably better ways to go about it. Um… Not that suicide is a better way. What were we talking about again?"

_"Suicide, connecting to Death, generally complete nonsense. When are you going to decorate my grave, boy?"_

"Sometimes I totally understand why your son went batshit crazy and killed you, you know," Harry said mildly, ignoring the outraged look on Tom's face when he saw that Barty looked like he was trying not to laugh.

"Your relationship with the dead grows more and more fascinating every day."

"Thanks?"

"You're welcome. I have a question before we start the celebrations."

"Go on."

"Can you let others see the dead?" Harry, Ignotus and Antioch all stiffened at the question and looked at Barty suspiciously.

"Why do you ask?"

"I just… I was curious. Why? Is it a bad question?"

"It's a suspicious question. People who tend to want to know the answer to that want to control the dead. Which is something necromancers won't allow. We're the guardians of the dead, I suppose you could say," Harry explained, still a little on guard and wondering if he was wrong to tentatively try and form a friendship with Barty. He'd been lucky so far that no one other than Voldemort - who hadn't bothered to hide his intentions - had tried to use him.

"Sorry. I didn't meant to offend you. I just wondered because I would have liked to have spoken to my dead relatives at some point in the future if I took you to the family plot," Barty admitted with a twitchy shrug.

_"He's probably telling the truth. As long as I've been watching over the boy, he's never shown much inclination towards controlling the dead. Or anyone really. He's much more interested in torturing people. And probably killing them. Controlling them isn't really his thing,"_  Caspar told him, just shrugging with a grin when Harry and Antioch both looked at him incredulously.

"Oh well, when you put it that way, why the bloody hell not? Seriously? You need to work on your persuasion skills," Harry snapped at Caspar before turning to Barty, who was looking at where Caspar was standing with a curious look on his face. "Why do you want to speak to your family?"

"You said a while back that the dead didn't hold grudges or believe in light and dark, and I've never actually known a family member that liked me. Well, other than my mother. Could I speak to my mother?" Barty asked him suddenly, looking quite eager for Harry's answer which just made Harry flounder for a little as he'd never actually heard from Barty's mother, only ever his grandfather.

"Er… is she dead?"

"Yes. She died about twenty years ago. Why?"

"I've just… I've never spoken to her. What's her name?"

"She was called Vesta Crouch. Well, her maiden name was Pritchard."

"Huh, is she actually dead?" Harry asked, looking over at Antioch, Ignotus and Caspar.

_"She is. You haven't spoken to her because she didn't die near here,"_ Antioch told him patiently, though he did then roll his eyes when Harry just looked confused.  _"Have you not noticed that you have only spoken to male relatives of those around you? The dead relative has to be of the same gender."_

"Why the hell didn't you tell me this before?"

_"It never came up._ "

"Whatever. You just forgot. Right. Anyway, Barty. Um… apparently she is dead, so at least you weren't lied to on that. Silver linings and all!"

"Yes, I knew she was dead. Can I speak to her?"

"Antioch?"

_"If you trust him, I do not see why not. You might want to ask where she died though,"_  Antioch said with a small smirk, which then morphed into a grin when Harry stared at him with narrowed eyes.

"I've been told to ask where your mother is buried."

"Ah."

"Ah? Well that's never good. Because if she died at sea and is therefore under water, well, that's not going to work. Actually, do you think I could talk to dead sharks?" Harry asked, looking at Antioch and Ignotus, both of whom just sighed and pinched the bridge of their nose. Caspar just stared at him with eerily the same expression as his living grandson. "What?"

"Can you speak to living sharks?"

"Never tried. Probably not though. Oh! Okay, yeah, I see. Right, sorry. Back on track. Your mother isn't buried at sea, is she?"

"No. But it's probably just as hard to get there."

"Oh?"

"She died and is buried in Azkaban."

"Sheesh, that a family place? You're right though. It would be hard to get in there, not just because I'm forbidden."

"I thought wizards didn't know about necromancers. How did they know to forbid you?"

"Ah, no. Wizards didn't. Death did. We're not allowed to go there unless we fuck up and have no choice. Even then, He'll be pretty damn pissed with us and will refuse to let us pass on until He feels we're remorseful," Harry said vaguely, fidgeting a little as it wasn't exactly a topic of conversation he was comfortable with.

"So we wouldn't be able to speak to my mother anyway, then?"

"No, sorry."

"But can you allow me to speak to the dead you can access?"

"Er…"

_"You would have to trust him implicitly."_

"Sorry, Barty. I just don't think I would be able to do that."

"That is fine. I just thought I would ask. So, what should we do now?"

_"Bloody give thanks to us! Wizards! Honestly!"_

"Seriously, you're just making me like your son more and more," Harry muttered under his breath with a glare at Tom, who'd actually managed to stay quiet up until then. "We should decorate the graves before the resident spirits get arsey. Or more arsey than they already are."

"Okay. What do we do to do that?"

"Make spirits arsey? Not a lot."

"Decorate the graves."

"Oh! Yes, right. Just walk around and place whatever's on this pile on the graves in here," Harry told him, motioning to the pile of items he'd brought with him. Not that he hadn't trusted the man to collect his own pine cones and such, this was just easier.

Barty just stared at him for a moment, before nodding and grabbing a bunch of the offered items and moving to place them on random graves, just as Harry had asked. Smiling as he watched Barty, Harry then moved forward and picked up one of the two garlands he'd made and draped it over Tom Riddle Snr's headstone.

"There we go! See! I do appreciate you allowing me to use your grave so much! Look, I even added some red  _and_  orange roses! Actually, it looks rather nice, if I do say so myself," Harry admitted, admiring the extravagant garland he'd spent most of the previous day making, formed of a mix of ferns and honeysuckle twined together and then decorated with marigolds, roses, passionflowers and thistles, with a sprig or two of sage as well and all finished off with a rich brown ribbon tied at the end.

_"Hmm, you're right. It is a nice one you've made for me this year. Thank you. I'll continue to allow your use of my grave then. Don't forget to give my brother-in-law his blasted garland. He'll never bloody shut up about it if you don't!"_  Harry rolled his eyes at Tom's harping but did as directed and moved to stand in front of Ranulph's headstone and placed the garland on it.

"Do you know if he'll be stopping by again this year?" Harry asked, glancing over to Tom before his eyes searched out Barty and saw the Death Eater was quietly placing pinecones and sprigs of herbs that Harry had supplied whilst muttering to himself. Not that Harry was really one to cast stones on that topic.

_"He should be. Though probably once your… friend has gone. You know he's shy."_

"I'm the only one who can see him," Harry deadpanned, staring at Barty and then looking back at Tom, who just shrugged.

_"We're of noble birth. We're delicate."_

"You do know you're talking utter bollocks, right? Oh well! That doesn't matter. Will you be staying for the celebrations to Our Lord tonight?" Harry asked, crouching so that he could neaten one of the ribbons on Ranulph's garland and then straightening the whole thing up so that it looked neater. To his eyes at least.

_"Your Lord. And yes, I'll be sticking around. Though I don't understand why you have to get naked."_

"It's symbolic."

_"More shambolic."_

"How long have you waited to be able to say that?" Harry asked, before turning back to Barty who was walking back over to him, not waiting to hear what Tom had to say. "Have you finished?"

"Yes. There are a lot of Thomas' in this family," Barty pointed out, twitching slightly when Tom walked through him in a huff, which made Harry wonder if Barty had sensed that or if the man was just twitching like usual.

"Yep. There's quite a few Roberts as well. Which always made me giggle a little. I mean, Robert Riddle? Who would name their child that?"

"What do we do now?" Barty asked, clearly deciding not to comment on Harry's question and instead swiftly bring the topic back on track.

"Now we just sit down, eat some nuts, fruit and berries and then send a mental prayer to your god of choice. Or, you know, mentally sing a song. Either works," Harry told him with a grin, grabbing his wrist and pulling Barty to a space between a few older graves where he'd left the cloth bag full of food, and sitting down.

Barty glanced at him for a second or two before shrugging and sitting down opposite him, taking the offering of apples and bread from Harry when he handed it over.

"So, we eat this food because it is the celebration of the second harvest of the year and Mother Nature has gifted us with fruit, nuts and vegetables to nourish ourselves with. Um…" Harry trailed off, trying to think if there was anything else he needed to add and ignoring the spirits around him rolling their eyes or snickering.

_"Equality and Balance,"_  Ignotus muttered, hand covering his face as he shook his head and stepped back to try and separate himself from his hopeless student.

"Oh! Yeah! We eat this food and celebrate the equality of Death and the balance between life and death, day and night, light and dark," Harry added with a grin at Barty, who was sitting with his apple and bread, smirking to himself. Though his smirk changed into a grin when Harry included light and dark.

"Balance between light and dark?"

"Yep. Ignoring the current war you have going on. I mean, that I don't get. You do all know that without one you can't have the other, right? Without light, you can't see the dark and without dark you can't see the light. Too much of one will blind you to the other. Everything is about balance. Your Lord seems to get that more than the self-proclaimed light lord," Harry admitted with a grin, before he shrugged and bit into an apple.

"My Lord appreciates that the light can do much for our world just as the dark can, he just doesn't like how they want to get rid of the dark."

"True. The balance between light and dark is at unrest and something will have to be done about it soon or you'll have bigger problems on your hand than a headmaster with delusion of grandeur," Harry warned in a strangely serious voice that got Barty's attention. "Ooh! Bit too serious for the night, don't you think! Let's eat instead!"

Barty watched Harry in silence for a moment or two before he accepted the paper bowl of food that Harry handed him with a muttered thanks and the two started to eat in silence, with Harry absently listening to the quiet murmurs of the spirits around them chatting to one another.

Once most of the food Harry had brought with him had been eaten, Harry quickly packed away the remains and the paper bowls into the bag and then shifted to sit with his legs crossed.

"Now we close our eyes and give our appreciation to the balance and equality of life to our respective god. If you wish to try and connect with the Great Mother, then just think of Her whilst feeling the magic She gifted you with and then just thank Her for that gift," Harry told Barty before he closed his eyes and mentally connected with his own gift Death had given him.

_"Do not forget to thank Him for your more recent gifts He has given you,"_  Ignotus told him and Harry gave an almost absent-minded nod as he felt the death energy rushing through his body.

'I give thanks to you, Lord Death, for the gifts you have given me throughout my life. For allowing me the power to commune with those who have passed on. For giving me the chance to prove myself to my family. And for protecting me whenever you have the chance. Thank you for gracing me with your protection and for trusting me to spread your word. Tonight I give thanks for your trust in me to keep the balance between life and death, and light and dark, and I hope I do not fail you,' Harry thought as he concentrated on the death energy flowing through him, then smiled widely as he felt a surge in his energy and the sensation of someone brushing their hands through his hair before a light kiss was pressed to his forehead, leaving that spot tingling for minutes afterwards.

Harry opened his eyes once he had regained his breath and was no longer in any danger of giggling or doing anything else that might make him look like a moron, and glanced over to see Barty was still silently sitting across from him with his eyes closed. Moments later a light gust of wind drifted over them and Barty gave a shudder before opening his eyes.

"That was quite the experience."

"You felt Her then?" Harry asked excitedly, earner to know if his friend had managed to appease the god that had gifted him with his magic.

"I did. My magic feels fresher than it has in ages. It's almost like I've been cleansed of anything bad that may have been influencing my magic. I don't know how to explain it. It's quite something."

"Well, She doesn't really see anything wrong with dark or light magic. She doesn't care what you do with the magic She gifted you with. I imagine She cleansed your spirit and magic of any harm Azkaban might have done to it. Though I am only guessing really. Well, come on!" Harry said suddenly, standing up and holding out a hand for Barty to grab and tugging him to stand as well.

"What do we do now?"

"Well, now we have about an hour before we get to the part of the night that you don't want a part of and so we'll generally just wander over to the copse at the edge of the wards and offer the trees libations whilst also sharing the gossip of the Death Eaters. Which, admittedly is less a part of the nightly celebrations and more my insatiable nosiness," Harry added with a grin, which widened when Antioch snickered and Ignotus shoved him with an admonishment to not encourage him. Barty just stared at him silently before he shrugged and followed behind Harry and started to talk about the latest drama going on between the LeStranges.

* * *

An hour later found Harry saying a quick goodnight to Barty and then heading back into the copse of trees alone to where the spirits of his family and friends were waiting.

"So, now we start the real celebrations, yes?" Harry asked with a bright smile, getting answering smiles back and a tall, willowy man with long curly dirty blond hair and a narrow but handsome face stepped forward. "Ranulph! How are you? Did you like the garland I gave you this year?"

_"I am fine, Horatio. And yes, your garland is lovely. Thank you for the offering. You know you will always be welcome to use my grave should you need it,"_  Ranulph told him, moving forward to embrace Harry before they took a step back from one another and Harry quickly started to take his robes off.

"I'm glad! Do you think Our Lord will be stopping by tonight? Not that he ever has before, but I just wondered what with the way things are picking up in the wizarding world and my being dragged into it, if He'd make an exception this year."

_"I do not think He will be gracing us with His presence this year other than the blessing He gave you earlier. However, I do not claim to be an expert in how Our Lord thinks, so who knows?"_ Ignotus said as Harry pulled a bag he'd left in the trees earlier out and took out the incense sticks of myrrh and sage that he'd put in there and carefully placed them in gaps in the branches around him before lighting them.

"Well, it doesn't really matter if He does or doesn't show up. He's already given me His blessing and accepted my thanks, so I can't ask for any more," Harry admitted with a small shrug before he took out uncut stones of sapphire and lapis lazuli and balanced them on random branches in the small clearing.

_"You know He will aid you however He can, but this is more a struggle for mortals of this land. He cannot involve Himself to the point He neglects he passing souls of those not involved,"_  Antioch pointed out as Harry moved to the centre of the small clearing and breathed in the smoke of the incense, before giving a small nod.

"I know. And like I said, I understand. He is the end of all things. He can't be expected to interfere in such a small spat."

_"It is not so small anymore. The balance has been upset in a dangerous way and soon it will have catastrophic results for the wizarding world and possibly for all beings on this island, if not further afield. I believe that is why He is not against necromancers becoming known once more and why the Great Mother made Herself known tonight for the first time in centuries,"_  Ignotus said with a look of discomfort on his face.

"Then we will need to find a way to make the balance between light and dark right once more. Starting with getting my brother out of his war. With the loss of Dumbledore's main and possibly only weapon, the light will lose some of their hold and the dark will be able to gain back some ground."

_"I fear it will not be as easy as you are making it sound. There is unrest in this land. Others are beginning to take notice."_

* * *

In three different places on the grounds of Riddle Manor, three men were all watching the proceedings happening in the copse, able to glance the lone figure between the trees and each wondering just what he was doing.

Voldemort narrowed his eyes as the smoke of the incense swirled around the young necromancer eerily, in a way that was not natural and brought with it a feeling of power that made even Lord Voldemort uncomfortable and goosebumps to appear on his arms. Something other than an innocent Mabon celebration was happening in those trees.

Marcus stood at the window in his room, looking down at Harry's Mabon celebrations and possibly wishing he was closer so he could clearly see everything that was happening in the copse. He wouldn't admit it to anyone but he had mentally berated himself for not accepting Harry's offer of joining the earlier celebrations when he had learnt that Crouch Jnr had joined the celebrations. The growing friendship of the two was setting Marcus on edge and he wasn't entirely sure why. His attention was dragged away from his thoughts as he noticed the feeling of power rise from outside and the smoke of the incense swirl and dance around the naked figure in the trees. He hoped the feeling of foreboding that had suddenly washed over him didn't mean Harry was in immediate danger.

Barty had lingered in the shadows of the doorway after he'd said goodnight to Harry and watched the small necromancer make his way back to the copse of trees. He'd watched Harry seemingly greet who he assumed were spirits in there before taking his robes off and lighting incense, as well as placing something else Barty hadn't been able to make out. Now he straightened where he was leaning against the doors as he felt  _something_  creep over him and watched as the incense smoke became thicker and almost obscured his view of Harry, and he noticed something else there with Harry. Barty squinted and tried to make out what it was that Harry was now talking to before he suddenly got the sensation that he should leave and never mention what it was he'd seen. Long practice of acknowledging that gut feeling made Barty give a small nod and then he silently slipped between the slightly opened doors and quietly closed them. Something had happened and whatever it was, he was not supposed to know anymore about it than he already did.

* * *

Harry had barely had time to acknowledge Antioch's slightly ominous warning before he felt a rise in power building beneath him and felt the smoke of the incense mixing together and wrapping around him, warming his slightly chilled body and making the hair on the back of his neck rise. Suddenly the power surged and Harry opened his eyes with a gasp, forcing himself not to take a step back when he noticed a tall, muscular man standing before him wearing simple looking brown trousers and with jet black hair that had leaves and thin branches twined in it. The man was a good foot - at least - taller than Harry and had tanned skin with more leaves, branches and vines twined over his left shoulder, down to his right hip and then twisted and looped around his waist and down his left leg. Harry followed the flow of the vines, down to the mans bare feet before looking back up to the man's handsome face, partially obscured by a thick, wavy black beard interspaced with green and golden leaves.

"Er…" Throughout his observation of the strange man, Harry had noticed that the spirits had all left, leaving behind only Ignotus, who was silently watching the man and had moved so he was standing close behind Harry, resting his smokey hand on Harry's shoulder.

_"Thu cnawan me,"_ the man's voice was deep and rough, leaving a shiver running down Harry's spine as those simple words seemed to be backed by masses of power.

"Yes."

_"Thu cnawan me."_

"I do."

_"Name me."_ Harry opened his mouth to answer, to name the being before him, but couldn't get his words out before the man lurched forward and pressed his hand into Harry's chest. Harry choked on a gasp, looking down at the hand in his chest in stunned disbelief, before he looked up at the man.  _"Name me!"_

The man then yanked his hand back and Harry collapsed to his knees, feeling like his blood had been replaced with ice and like all of his energy had left him. The man looked down at him before placing a hand on Harry's head and gently stroking his hair. He then crouched down so he was face to face with Harry and stroked his hand down Harry's face to cup his cheek.  _"Thu cnawan me, Nightgenga. Name me."_  He then leant forward, pressed a kiss to Harry's forehead and Harry felt power being forced into him and through him. Testing his worth. Harry reached forward weakly to clutch at the man's shoulder, gripping a leaf as he did before he felt his remaining energy leave him and he collapsed forwards, staying conscious long enough to feel warm, rough-skinned hands catch him and gently lower him to the floor.  _"Name me."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N - Yes, I know, I did say Marcus won the vote. Doesn't mean Barty isn't going to be friends with Harry. And they're not in a relationship yet, so Harry is totally allowed find Barty handsome… and Barty is well within his rights to stare at a naked Harry dancing outside… Er… maybe less so that last one. Though I don't imagine it's technically legal or even accepted. Then again, public nudity isn't either. So hey ho.
> 
> Ooh! Hands up who thought it was Death I was talking about in the previous chapter's A/N when I mentioned someone showing up in this chapter that wasn't supposed to for a while… :D
> 
> And finally, yes, Charlus will be making an appearance in the next chapter! And there will finally be some hints of a plot showing! Though to be fair, the main plot of this fic should have started to come to light in this chapter… *grins*
> 
>  
> 
> Fact of the chapter: The Green Man (the god Harry talks to at the end) is talking a very ancient form of English that has it's origins from pre-Norman England. So around the 10th Century. Give or take a decade… XD What he says is 'you know me.', 'Name me,' and he calls Harry a night-demon. Or a traveller of the night.
> 
> Less of a fact and more an amusing tidbit of the chapter (although it's also a fact…): If anyone noticed, then yes, the use of the name Ranulph was somewhat deliberate. Ranulph Fiennes is an explorer, who is also the great-uncle (possibly. Something like that) of Ralph Fiennes, who played Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter Movies… *grins* Check me out. All er… geeky and probably slightly stalkerish.


	12. Chapter Eleven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Small note, regardless of what Harry says, I don't think people are weird because of their religious beliefs. I think people are weird because they're weird, their religious beliefs have nothing to do with it. :D

Chapter Eleven

Harry groaned as he slowly gained consciousness, squinting a little as the dawn sunlight hit his eyes and then wincing as he pushed himself up into a sitting position.

"Oh god, I think something ran me over," Harry muttered, clutching his head in the hopes it would prevent it from exploding from the pain he was feeling, and then groping around in hopes he'd find his sunglasses, he was pretty sure he'd left them on the edge of the clearing. Luck was with him when his hand nudged them and he quickly snatched them up and put them on his face with a small sigh of relief.

_"Sadly not. Although we did warn you that there was something else stirring. I just hadn't realised He would come to you."_  Harry glanced blearily at Ignotus, who was kneeling next to him and watching him with visible worry on his face.

"So I didn't dream The Green Man punching me in the chest and feeling me up in a mystical sense then?" Harry muttered, placing his hand on his chest and feeling like he could still feel that strange powerful - and alien - energy testing his own.

_"No. He needs you to name Him. To give Him a name and a purpose back,"_ Ignotus told him, making Harry glance around them in panic, noticing he was still naked - and freezing - and in the copse, whirls of mist curling around his ankles in the weak sunlight.

"He's still here?!"

_"No. You will need to go to Devon._ "

"What's in Devon?" Harry asked as he slowly stood up, grabbing onto a nearby tree branch to help him and then looking around for where he'd put his robe. He really was quite cold.

_"You need to go to Shebbear. There you will find an ancient tombstone with a skull on it with vines coming out of its mouth. That is where you'll find Him. Name Him and then get back here. Hopefully He won't show too much interest in you,"_ Ignotus muttered, watching as Harry darted over to where he spotted his robe and quickly pulled it on before he started shuffling around the small clearing, collecting all the stones he had placed around it.  _"You may find that Lord Voldemort will question you about what happened last night."_

"The creepy perv was watching? Great. Is nothing sacred? What did he see? Did he see Him?" Harry asked, still looking for one more elusive sapphire and not really giving Ignotus all of his attention.

_"He only saw you seemingly dancing amidst the incense and talking to those he cannot see. He did not see Him. He may have sensed something powerful happening but you can just pass that off as the ritual you performed. Barty may back you up that there was some energy during your rituals. You cannot tell Voldemort about Him. Not until you have named Him at least."_

"Okay. That's understandable. Why now though? And why me?"

_"You are the last remaining mortal on these shores that has a tie to them. Therefore you are the only one they can contact. He will not be the only one to find you out now that they have started to awaken."_

"All of them?!"

_"Well, given you work for and worship Lord Beli, I imagine you'll be safe from Him finding you out to name Him. He may visit you to make sure you are safe and healthy however. He will not allow the Old Ones to sway you away from Him."_

"I don't imagine they'd be able to anyway. And I can't truly be the only one with ties to them! There are hundreds of weird people out there who worship old deities and like to think of themselves as wiccan or druid or what-have-you. Why can't they go to them!" Harry asked, fully aware he was whining but not actually caring. This was truly pants. As if he didn't have enough on his plate.

_"They don't actually believe in the gods they claim to follow. They still hold too strongly to the Christian God."_

"But they seem so… believing."

_"And maybe they honestly think they do believe in the Old Ones, but history has mixed up religions and missed deities out. And deep deep down they'll question themselves as to why no one believe in those gods anymore. Why they don't feel anything when they pray to them. Why the spells and potions they make don't work. Agnostic they may be, but that does not help the Old Ones. You know them. You've spoken to one of them. And you were the one to encourage another to call on yet another Old One."_

"Ah crap. See if I do a good deed again. So I'm just going to randomly have gods and goddesses sprouting up in front of me and demanding I name them? That'll be nice and inconspicuous," Harry muttered, looking around him to make sure he hadn't left anything behind and then picking his bag up and carefully walking out of the copse.

_"They won't randomly appear. He appeared last night because it was a night of magic and worship. I imagine they'll seek you out whenever you celebrate a holiday or after you've performed a ritual. Cassandra may be able to tell you who you will meet next and when,"_  Ignotus told him, following behind him as they made their way through the cemetery, towards the manor.

"I'll ask her tonight then, if I get the chance. But why Him? Why not last nights namesake? I mean, if I were a sleeping god and woke up after centuries of sleep, I'd probably choose the night of my celebration. Why didn't He show?"

_"Who knows? Perhaps because The Green Man is still recognised in modern culture. Admittedly, no one truly knows who He is anymore, but there are still sculptures being made in His image, and stories being told with Him in them. His sleep will have been the lightest. Either way, it doesn't matter. He arrived and now you need to name Him, and prepare yourself to name the others as well."_

"Joy. Good thing I know Old English, isn't it? Oh god, they're not going to speak Welsh are they? I don't speak Welsh. My tongue refuses to make those noises," Harry said, wrinkling his nose as he stuck his tongue out as though to prove his point.

_"They will speak Old English. They were around long before the Welsh language developed."_

"Well that's good then. Come on, let's go see if Lord Voldemort does want to talk to me, and if he doesn't then we can let him know that I need to pop out. Hopefully without him either telling me no or even just asking me where I want to go and why. I'm thinking I'm not lucky enough to get that though," Harry muttered as he pushed the heavy front doors open and walked inside, letting them bang shut behind him.

_"If he does forbid you to go, you should just go anyway. Angering a Dark Lord would be better than angering an ancient god."_

"You make a very good point. Let's go find Voldie."

* * *

Harry paused outside the door to Voldemort's office, where Ignotus had assured him Voldemort was sitting reading through papers, and luckily for Harry, alone. He glanced to the side where Ignotus was patiently standing next to him.

"Where did you say the others were again?"

_"You used too much energy fighting with His magic when He tested you last night. They have all decided to let you conserve what energy you have left by staying away. I was the one chosen to stay with you to guide you to Him. Don't worry though. A proper meal and a good nights sleep and you'll be back to normal again,"_  Ignotus told him, before he glanced pointedly at the door.  _"You really should stop dithering and tell the man that you need to leave."_

"Fine, fine," Harry sighed, before he knocked on the door and waited for Voldemort to call out to him. When he heard the man telling him to enter, Harry straightened his back and opened the door, walking into the office and sitting in the chair opposite Voldemort with a small grin at the man, who already looked exasperated and Harry hadn't even spoken to him yet.

"Yes? What have you done now?"

"What?! I haven't done anything! Why do you think I've done something?" Harry asked indignantly, ignoring the snort of amusement from Ignotus, standing behind him.

"Fine. What do you want?"

"Who says I want something?"

"Why else would you be in here, Mr Waterhouse?"

"Okay. Good point. Fine. I need to tell you that I have to leave for the day."

"No. Is there anything else?" Voldemort asked him without bothering to look up from the papers he was reading through.

"No?! You haven't even heard me out!"

"Do I need to? You want to leave the safety of my wards, possibly put yourself somewhere Dumbledore can find you and basically go against everything I've asked of you. Is that everything?"

"Well… yes," Harry muttered sullenly, glancing behind him to where Ignotus was still standing with an amused look on his face. He shrugged when he caught Harry's eye and Harry huffed, then turned back to face Voldemort. "Look, I need to go out. Things have changed and I've been given orders. I'm not asking for permission. I'm telling you."

"Indeed, Mr Waterhouse. And what will you do should I deny your request?" Voldemort asked him, finally looking up from his papers and giving Harry his full attention.

"Let's face it, me being here is helpful to us both, but you need me more than I need you. There are places in the world where I can hide and never be found. And sure, you could possibly find another spy to tell you what Dumbledore is up to. But they won't ever be as good as the dead. I am helping you win this war. I can just as easily take my help from you and my luck. I'm blessed, Lord Voldemort. And you have been lucky enough to benefit from my presence here. Try to stop me and I will take that away from you."

"Are you threatening me?"

"No. I'm telling you like it is. The thing is, this war has escalated. Times are going to start changing and my Lord has tasked me with ensuring certain things happen that will aid Him," Harry lied, hoping that Voldemort wouldn't be able to tell he was lying and would just accept it all and let him leave. He really did need to talk to a certain god and give Him a name.

"What has happened? Does it have anything to do with what happened last night?"

"My celebrations?" Harry asked, hoping he hadn't given the game away and staring at Voldemort with what he hoped was a blank face, thankful for the knowledge that the wizard couldn't read his mind.

"Yes. Those. Something strange happened last night. Magic stirred and I have never felt it before. What was it?"

"I don't know. You possibly felt my lord accepting my thanks. And I believe Barty felt it as well. Though not from my lord. He gave thanks to The Great Mother and I think She may have accepted them and blessed him. You'd have to ask him though for the full details," Harry told him with a shrug.

"Hmm. I will. Given you have told me you will leave regardless to what I say, can you at least tell me where you will be heading?"

"Er… Devon. Not sure where in Devon exactly. My lord will direct where I actually end up though."

"And I don't suppose you will allow a Death Eater to go with you."

"You're right. I won't. They would die should they follow me."

"Another threat?"

"No… an observation. They're not necromancers, so they wouldn't survive my way of travel. So, have we covered everything?" Harry asked, really just wanting to leave the room.

"Would you allow me to place a locator charm on you?"

"Er…" Harry glanced behind him at Ignotus and quirked a questioning eyebrow at him.

_"Ask him to set it to an item you can take with you, it won't stick - for lack of a better word - on you. And to give you at least four hours before he decides to hunt you down."_

"Right. Okay," Harry said with a nod before he turned back to Voldemort. "Can you place it on an item? Apparently they can't be put on me. Also, can you give me at least four hours before you release the hounds to fetch me back?"

"You can have until five this evening. If you are not back by then, I will assume Dumbledore has found you and I will, as you so aptly put it, release the hounds to bring you back. Is that good enough?" Voldemort asked him, looking at him strangely as Harry jumped a little as the phone in his pocket finally chose the most inappropriate time to ring. Thankfully it was on silent so it was only vibrating in his pocket.

"Yeah! Yeah, that's grand. Right! I'll be off then! I'll let you know when I'm back!" Harry said, getting up from his seat, only to freeze when Voldemort cleared his throat. "Er…"

"Your tracking charm," Voldemort drawled, holding out a simple silver snake charm attached to a long silver chain.

"Oh! Yes. Of course. Thanks. Later then!" Harry said, taking the necklace and throwing it over his head, tucking it under his t-shirt before quickly darting out of the room.

_"Something wrong?"_

"Just bad timing. Think my relative will be able to meet up in Devon if I contact him?" Harry asked, well aware that Voldemort probably had listening charms littered all over the manor like the paranoid freak he was and not really wanting to admit that he was the brother to Voldemort's biggest annoyance after Dumbledore.

_"Ah, your brother then. He can apparate so just ask him to meet you. Though make sure it's after you've named The Green Man."_

"Okay! Back to my room then! I should grab a couple of things."

* * *

Harry stepped out of his gate into the shadow of a large old tomb and looked around, giving a small sigh of relief when he noticed the graveyard was empty. He then glanced over his shoulder and watched Ignotus walk through the gate before it closed behind him.

_"Might I suggest that you ring your brother to make plans before we head to The Green Man?"_

"Right, okay. You know, it kinda sounds like we're going to a pub, not meeting with a god," Harry pointed out with a snicker, before he fished his phone out of his pocket and quickly rang the number of the missed call. As soon as it started ringing, Harry's stomach gave a small lurch and he glanced at Ignotus nervously, realising this would be the first time he'd spoken to his older brother since he was eleven.

{ _"Hello? Harry?"_ } Harry jerked a little when his brother answered the phone, not actually expecting it for some reason - plus part of him was wondering if it was just his bank calling about missed payments. The tricky buggers liked to confuse him by using new numbers every so often.

"Er… hey. Charlus?"

{ _"Harry! I can't believe I'm talking to you! This is amazing! I've missed you so much! Are you free to talk?"_ }

"That's actually kinda why I rang. See, I've got something I need to do in a bit that will take maybe an hour tops, and then I'm free until five. So, I was wondering if you wanted to meet up? I'm in Devon right now if you have some way of getting here…" Harry said, trailing off a little as he tried to think of ways that wizards travelled. He vaguely recalled that all of them made him physically sick.

[ _"Yeah! I can apparate! Where abouts are you? Do you know the coordinates?"_ }

"The coordinates? No. Not a clue. Sorry. Do you need them?"

{ _"Yeah, pretty much. Never mind. Are you anywhere near Exeter?"_ } Harry floundered for a second as he glanced at Ignotus, who rolled his eyes.

"I thought Exeter was in the midlands?"

{ _"You haven't changed much, have you? It's in Devon. I think. Well, it's near Devon. The Weasley's live near there. They live in Devon. Or Summerset. They might live in Summerset."_ }

"Your geography is just as good as mine then. Er… Ig, are we near Exeter?" Harry asked looking at Ignotus who just sighed and shook his head.

_"Does it matter? You can just make a gate to get you there. I'm pretty sure people lie and therefore die in Exeter, so there is bound to be a few cemetery's. I'll hunt one down and take you to it when you've finished naming The Green Man."_

{ _"Are you with someone?"_ }

"What? Oh er… sort of…" Harry told him, wondering how to exactly answer that question.

{ _"Because if you are, we can meet up another day."_ }

"Oh no! It's alright. Er… I can meet you in Exeter. No worries there. Anywhere in particular?"

{ _"There's a nice little cafe there. Small, out of the way, private. It's called The Twisted Teapot."_ }

"Okay! I can meet you there. Is about two thirty okay?"

{ _"Yeah, that's fine with me. I'll see you there then, okay?"_ }

"Yep! See you in a little bit then!" Harry said cheerfully before he waited for Charlus to hang up and then put his phone back in his pocket, then checked his watch. "So we have about an hour and ten minutes before we have to meet Charlus. Do you think The Green Man is going to be chatty?"

_"I think you need to learn how to speak of the Old Gods with possibly more respect than you talk to everyone else,"_  Ignotus told him dryly, stepping away from the wall of the tomb and leading Harry further into the ancient looking graveyard and further from the entrance.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll treat him like I treat our Lord, that okay?"

_"That should suffice. Unless they allow you to talk to them with familiarity, it is probably always best to talk to them as you would our Lord."_

"Right. Duly noted then. So, I don't see a freakishly tall man with a peter pan style knocking about. I'm guessing I'm going to have to summon him then? Anywhere special?"

_"You will soon see."_ Harry just nodded and silently followed behind Ignotus for a few more minutes before the spirit came to a stop in front of a positively ancient looking headstone, with an intricate carving of long vines twining around the stone, all coming from the open mouth of a skull.

"Cheerful."

_"This is an old carving in remembrance to The Green Man. God of Agriculture, the Smith of the gods, god of rebirth and life. Ironic he chose you, is it not? However, the placing of this carving and the fact it also embraces some characteristics of our Lord, means you will be able to focus most here and finally name him. Are you ready?"_

"As I'll ever be," Harry told him, nibbling on his lip a little as anxiety started to bubble in his stomach and threatened to make him leave an offering to The Green Man that the god probably wouldn't appreciate.

_"Do no fear. You are, ultimately, the chosen of Death. No god will truly try to harm you for fear of crossing Him,"_  Ignotus reassured him, moving to stand just behind Harry and placing a transparent, smoky hand on his shoulder.  _"Now, just kneel before the stone and concentrate on who you're calling. Call Him forth and name Him."_

Harry just nodded without answering and knelt down on the dry grass before the stone, placing a hand on the stone to help keep his focus and then closing his eyes and concentrating everything he had on the feel of the god from the previous night and then using that feeling to call the god to him.

A few minutes - that felt like a lifetime - passed before a strong wave of power crashed into him, almost knocking him back and making him thankful that he was kneeling. Harry took a shaky, deep breath almost as though to remind his lungs that he really needed them to keep working with him, then lifted his head and opened his eyes to see the tall, muscular god of the night before standing before him, staring down at him with a blank look on His face.

_"I is the eald one."_

"I know," Harry answered, voice barely audible as he stared wide eyed at the powerful man in front of him.

_"I is forger of wyrd and waepen"_

"Yes."

_"Cweller of cyngs"_

"You are."

_"I walcs through deep water to cum to thu"_

_"_ You did."

_"Name me"_

"Amathaon," Harry breathed, eyes making contact with the god's own dark green eyes and choking on a cry of pain as the god gave a nod of thanks to him and His power pressed down on him, making him slump to the ground. He gritted his teeth to stop himself from screaming in pain as the pressure increased and he felt like his bones were being ground into powder.

Then, so quickly it robbed Harry of what little breath he had left, the pressure left him and Harry weakly pushed himself onto his back so he could look up at Amathaon, who was still looking down at him and had a small smile on his lips.

_"You have my thanks, thegn of Lord Beli,"_  Amathaon told him, before he crouched down slightly to run his hand through Harry's hair and then stepped back and disappeared.

Harry lay on the floor for a few long minutes, trying to concentrate on keeping his heart and lungs in working order and working out how to make his limbs less jelly like and at least solid enough to hold his weight. He glanced to the side and saw Ignotus looking down at him with a smile.

_"You did well. Lord Beli will be proud of you."_  Harry beamed happily at the spirit and then closed his eyes and slumped further into the ground.  _"Relax. You do not have to meet your brother yet and no one will be able to come over here for a few hours. Just try to gather some energy and I shall go look for a cemetery close to the cafe you'll be meeting Charlus. You'll be safe alone. You know nothing would ever harm you in a graveyard and Amathaon has left his protection as well. I'll be back when it's time to leave to meet Charlus."_

"Okay. I think I'm just gonna sleep now," Harry mumbled, before passing out and missing any response Ignotus may have given him.

* * *

Harry had no idea how long he had napped before Ignotus had woken him up and ushered him towards a headstone to open a gate to a barely visited cemetery on the edges of Exeter city centre that Ignotus had directed his energy towards. Which was where Harry now was. Not entirely sure he was awake yet and wondering just what he was supposed to be doing after hastily closing his gate.

"Er…"

_"I apologise for the quick awakening. I spent more time with my brothers than I had expected and realised you do not have that much time before you should be meeting your brother."_

"Oh. Yes. Him. Right. How are we getting there?"

_"There is a bus stop outside of this cemetery, and the bus that comes here will take you to the city centre bus station, which is not too far from the cafe Charlus told you about."_

"Right. A bus. Good job I get free bus travel, no?" Harry asked with a small grin, walking towards where he noticed the large, wrought-iron gate.

They didn't have to wait long for the bus into town to arrive and Harry cheerfully showed the driver his bus pass before sitting near the back and watching the scenery pass by. Harry glanced to the side where Ignotus was sitting next to him and wondered if the old lady in the seat in front would be too deaf to hear him talking to thin air. He decided not to risk it and just sat in silence for the journey.

Twenty minutes and nine stops - he counted - later, Harry got off the bus at the bus station and followed the masses of shoppers out of the exit and then stood and looked around blankly.

"Er…"

_"Follow me,"_  Ignotus told him, getting a quick nod from Harry before leading him through the throngs of shoppers and made their way to a smaller, less used street and then led him to a quaint looking cafe. Harry smiled when he saw it and then grinned happily when he saw the unmistakeable messy black hair of a Potter poking out of a booth.

Harry took a deep breath to steady his quickly reappearing nerves and then pushed the door open the cafe, wincing a little at the bell, and then slowly walking over to where his older brother - who hadn't actually changed all that much from when they were younger, just now older looking and a lot taller. He looked a lot like Harry vaguely recalled James did. He cleared his throat quietly and smiled nervously when Charlus looked up, eyes widening when he saw Harry for the first time in a decade.

"Harry?"

"Hey, Charlie."

"Harry!" Charlus exclaimed happily, jumping up out of his seat and engulfing Harry in a bear hug. Harry froze for a second before tentatively returning the hug and feeling a warmth spread through him as he noticed Charlus hadn't allowed for any skin contact.

"Missed you, Charlie," Harry mumbled, gripping on to the back of Charlus' hoodie before they both reluctantly took a step back and moved over to sit at the table.

"I have missed you so much, Harry! I couldn't believe they sent you away without even waiting for me to come back for Christmas so I could say bye! They didn't even let me give you your present! It was horrible," Charlus told him, head hanging a little as he played with the mug on the table in front of him. "I'm so sorry I didn't fight for you to stay, Harry."

"It wasn't your fault, Charlie! And honestly? It was probably the best idea. Can you imagine what would have happened had Dumbledore realised what I was when I was young enough for him to manipulate?" Harry asked quietly, reaching across and placing a hand on Charlus' sleeve.

"True. I still feel bad though. No one remembers you and it just sucks," Charlus told him with a shrug.

"Don't feel bad. I had a great life. Aunty Sylv was awesome and I had the freedom to learn what I wanted and to develop my powers without fear I'd be used for them. And I got to work in a bakery that I now own," Harry added with a bright smile, that dimmed a little when he remembered just how long it had been since he'd last opened his bakery. Or even since he'd last baked.

"You and baking! I remember you pestering the house elves into letting you help them! They were horrified that you wanted to cook!"

"Yeah. That was fun. Their little faces frozen in terror at the thought of me stealing one of their jobs," Harry said with a wicked grin before the two brothers burst into quiet chuckles.

"Seriously though, I really missed you."

"Yeah, I missed you too. It's kinda hard to make friends when you're always halfway in the world of the dead, you know? You always just accepted that I saw things you couldn't. It was kinda awesome. I really missed that acceptance when I left."

"Honestly? I missed having you there to pass on advice our ancestors had given you. And when we were younger, I was always jealous of you."

"Jealous of me? Why?!" Harry asked, stunned that his magically powerful brother was actually jealous of his little squib brother.

"You got to talk to the Peverell's whenever you wanted! That was so awesome! Hell, that is  _still_  awesome! And, you know, you never had to deal with the Boy Who Lived bollocks," Charlus admitted with a sad sigh, looking down at the table once more, shoulders slumped.

"How bad has it been? I've had granddad and granny Potter watching over you and keeping me fairly updated, but obviously they can't really tell me much on how it's truly affecting you. Though, if you want my honest opinion, Dumbledore is a dick," Harry told Charlus, ignoring Ignotus' snickering at the side.

"It's been awful. I feel like every year of my Hogwarts time was just one test after the other set up by Dumbledore and then after that, I was basically drafted into the Aurors," Charlus moaned, slamming his head onto the table and it was only Harry's quick reflexes that prevented the cold tea to spill over him.

"Wait. I thought you wanted to work with dragons. Or snakes. Well, any animal actually. What happened to that?"

"Really? You think the narrow-minded sheeple of the wizarding world would stand for their saviour to be anything other than an auror? Yeah, never going to happen. And dad couldn't let his 'only' son be anything other than an auror like himself. It totally sucks and I hate it."

"Yeah, can't say I'm shocked. So, not that I want to hurry things along, but Tel kinda implied you needed to speak to me about something. What do you need my help with, if I  _can_  help, that is," Harry told him, silently hoping that there was something he could do to help Charlus given how often Charlus had gone out of his way when they were kids to help Harry. Even once Harry was no longer a part of their family.

"I need out."

"Out?"

"Out of this war. I can't do it anymore. I can't keep being shoved out into the front lines when I don't even know what either side is fighting for. I can't keep being told who to arrest and who to fight when I don't know if those people are actually the ones I should be fighting. How can I win a war I don't even understand?!" Charlus asked him, anguish on his face as he looked at Harry desperately. Harry just sighed and took a deep breath before taking hold of Charlus' hand, ignoring the pain it brought him and the stunned look Charlus gave him.

"I'll help you. Honestly? I'm happy you're retreating. The Light isn't going to win this war, Charlie."

"What?!"

"I'm currently staying in Voldemort's manor. He's protecting me from Dumbledore's clutches. That's not why I think the light won't win though. Charlie, something's waking up and they're not happy with the wizarding world. You need to get out and we need to find a way to get mum, Rose and Dahlia out as well."

"What's waking? What do you mean?"

"My Lord hasn't been pleased with wizards for centuries, and now things have reached a head. The Dark Lord and the Light Lord are both trying to manipulate His disciple. No one involved is going to get out of this war unscathed."

"Your Lord? Voldemort?'

"Death, Charlie. Come on, you know what I am! Tel told you! And you know who I talk to. Just accept what I'm saying, okay? I'll help you get out."

"You will?"

"Of course I will! And I think I might know how."

"Oh? Does this idea mean Dumbledore won't be able to find me?" Charlus asked him, perking up a little at the thought of escaping the insane war the wizards had going on.

"I doubt he'd be able to find you given where I'm thinking you could hide has been lost since it's owner died nearly five hundred years ago. Basically, you go there and you'll disappear off the map. Neither Dumbledore nor Voldemort would be able to find you."

"Where is this place?"

"Agrippa's private chateau in France. Somewhere. Possibly. Actually, it might be in Germany. Well! It's somewhere in mainland Europe…" Harry told him, trailing off a little as he tried to recall just where Cornelius had told him his old house was. Out the corner of his eye, he noticed Ignotus roll his eyes skyward and shake his head.

"Right. So I'll hopefully be in Europe still."

"Yep! I'll contact Agrippa and ask him if it's okay for you to squat in his house. He shouldn't have a problem with it. In fact, he'll just be disappointed you can't talk to him. You should probably think about subtly letting anyone you think will listen to get out. And maybe whilst I'm getting things sorted on my end, you should distance yourself from the light side. They'll be the first to be hit."

"Why do you say that?"

"What Dumbledore wants to achieve will basically mean the death of magic. I know you never really believed me when I told you to thank the Great Mother for her gift, but at least you didn't completely brush me off. Dumbledore wants all of the old ways to be erased from history. He wants dark magic to be made illegal and punishable with Azkaban. The Great Mother gave you magic to use as you best felt suited your needs and inclination. Magic is magic. You can't punish some for not being comfortable using your type of magic. She won't accept that," Harry explained patiently, watching as the moment Charlus grasped at who Harry had heavily been hinting was taking notice.

"Shit. It's out of our hands now, isn't it? No one is going to win this."

"They won't punish everyone. You can't be punished for being naive. But neither Voldemort and his Death Eaters, nor Dumbledore and his Order can ever be accused of being naive. Both sides know what they're doing. And I imagine, both sides know they're in the wrong. Warn whoever you think should be warned, but Charlie, you can't save everyone."

"I know. I can't really think of anyone I want to save other than mum and the twins. And Rose and Dahlia are safe anyway. They've left on their great world adventure."

"What about mum?"

"What about her?"

"Do you think she'll leave?"

"No. She wouldn't risk either of us getting hurt because she left," Charlus told him with a sad sigh. Harry mirrored his sigh and glanced at their still joined hands. "You're staying with Voldemort. Are you safe? He's not hurting you right?"

"He thinks I'm a muggle who can talk to the dead. He has no idea I'm your brother. So he doesn't have that hatred blanketing his thoughts of me. Plus, he's a genius. I mean, he's a freaking moron as well, but I can't deny he's intelligent and cunning. He knows it would be a terrible idea to harm me and risk pissing off Death," Harry told him, mentally deciding not to mention that brief period of starvation Voldemort had put him through. He'd already pointed out the man was a moron.

"Well, that's good then. But you won't get caught in the crossfire in all this, will you?"

"No. Of everyone involved in this, I'm probably the safest. I have Death's protection and I'm not trying to suppress any part of magic. I'm completely safe, Charlie, don't worry about me."

"I'm the secret keeper of all knowledge of you, pretty much all I do is worry about you," Charlus pointed out with a crooked grin, making Harry chuckle and shake his head.

"Well, this is one moment you really don't have to. Look, I really need to be going soon, so can we make some more definite plans in another meeting? Plus, I just want an excuse to meet up with you again."

"Yeah, of course! Is two weeks soon enough? I don't want to make it too soon or someone will wonder why I keep slipping away on my own and might follow me," Charlus told him, a look of anger briefly crossing his face before he shook his head and looked at Harry for his answer.

"Two weeks is fine with me. It'll give me time to talk to Agrippa and possibly ask a couple of seers what they suggest. Plus I have a feeling I'm going to be busy soon," Harry admitted, thinking about just when he'll be called out to welcome another waking god.

"Then two weeks today, here again? Same time?"

"Yep. Sounds good to me!" Harry agreed, happy to know he'll be able to see his brother again and soon as well. "Oh, before I go. Um… do you think you can discreetly give mum a letter from me. So she know's I'm alright and happy?"

"Of course I will! I also need to work out a way to tell Rose and Dahlia that dad lied to them. They'll probably want to meet you when I do," Charlus told him, quickly placing the letter Harry had handed him into one of his pockets.

"Maybe wait until everything is over. It'll be safer for them if they don't return until then," Harry told him, getting a quick nod of agreement from Charlus.

"Good point. We should probably leave now though. Ring me if you need me, yeah? For anything and at anytime. Just give me a call and I'll be there, no matter what."

"I don't think the Boy Who Lived just appearing in Riddle Manor would be the best thing in the world, but okay. Stay safe, Charlie and I'll see you in two weeks," Harry muttered, standing up and giving his brother a quick, tight hug before pulling away and leaving the cafe without looking back. He knew if he had, he'd find it harder to leave his brother once again.

* * *

Harry was exhausted by the time he made his way back to Riddle Manor and really wanted to do nothing else other than curl up in bed and sleep for a week. And maybe eat something. Alas, when he noticed that Voldemort was seemingly waiting for him at the doors, Harry realised his dreams of sleeping for days were lost and not going to happen.

"Voldemort. I'm back before the allotted deadline  _and_  you didn't have to rescue me or whatever, so what's with the grumpy Dark Lord glare you have aimed at me?" Harry asked, too tired to bother being polite. Not like it would have helped anyway. Voldemort would have just suspected him of something.

"You need to come to tonight's meeting. I have decided that tonight you will finally pick out the spy within my forces and I will deal with him. Do whatever you need to do before then, but make sure you are at the main meeting hall by nine tonight. Everyone will be there. You had better not be late," Voldemort warned him before turning and striding back inside, robes whipping around him, without waiting for Harry's response.

"Well he was cheery. I'd better get some rest until the meeting then and then get Severus here to pick the spy out. He's been there for a meeting between the spy and Dumbledore, right?" Harry asked tiredly, as he made his way wearily to his room, just wanting to sleep.

_"He has. I believe there was a meeting in the last week and Severus is finally positive that he'll be able to pick them out. If you get some rest, I'll go and find Severus and then discuss what your actions should be tonight. We'll come to you in time for you to prepare for the meeting and go over what Severus recommends,"_  Ignotus advised him, following behind Harry and watching with concern as Harry practically dragged himself into his bed without bothering to remove his clothes or even shoes.

"Okay. Just wake me when you can. Hopefully Voldemort won't require me to be there for the whole torture and death part of the festivities," Harry mumbled, pushing his glasses off his face and leaving them on the bed as he pushed his face into his nice cold pillow.

_"Tell him you cannot be there for the torture and death part as it goes against your religion or something. He'll accept it. It's not like he knows any different,"_  Ignotus pointed out, getting a quiet chuckle from Harry, who then shifted so half his face was now visible and he looked at Ignotus with one bleary eye.

"That is a total fallacy. That man need believes nothing that would go against his wishes. Still, it's worth a shot. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to sleep. Hopefully I'll get at least four hours," Harry muttered, shifting his face back into the pillow and soon giving in to sleep.

Ignotus just stared down at his many times great-grandson with a fond but worried look on his face before he silently left the room to hunt down a dead, grumpy potions master.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N - Right, so er… I have a small confession to make. This isn't going to be Harry/Marcus. *Shrugs* What can I say, I didn't take into consideration a very large problem Harry would have in that relationship which has been touched upon a couple of times and outright mentioned in this chapter. Harry doesn't like to touch people. The reason will become clear in a later chapter. But yeah. Marcus and Barty will both still try to win Harry's affections (as well as another OMC… *grins*) but Harry won't fully return them. The OMC is the one with the biggest chance of getting with Harry. You'll find out why in another chapter if you haven't already probably worked it out. Sorry to disappoint all those that wanted Marcus/Harry…
> 
> Still… Charlus! Yay! :D (and did you think I'd forgotten about Severus? Lol)
> 
> The con is this weekend (I think I've managed to make everything I may need…) and then after that, there'll be a bit of a break before the next con, so hopefully the next chapter will be posted at the usual day in two weeks time! Hopefully you're all still enjoying this! :D
> 
> Just quickly, in case you need it, small summary of the weird words Amathaon used:
> 
> Eald one - Old one
> 
> Forger of wyrd and waepen - Forger of fate and weapons
> 
> Cweller of cyngs - Killer of kings
> 
> Thegn - a lord or squire. Harry's not actually a lord necromancer just yet, but he's getting there.
> 
> Fact of the chapter: Apparently in Moscow, there are benches in parks that will weigh you and then display your weight. Sounds delightful, doesn't it? You go to the park, you're knackered, you sit down and suddenly everyone and their mother knows your weight. 
> 
> I'm also running out of facts. Anyone have any delightfully weird facts you think I should add in my A/Ns? Not that I need to them t know who reads these anymore. Your reviews for the last chapter told me exactly who read what! *Snickers*
> 
> Oh yes. And nope. Never been to Exeter. Or Shebbear. And if you're wondering, in England and Wales (probably Scotland and Northern Ireland as well, but not sure), if you have a disability that will prevent you from driving, then you will be able to get a bus pass for free bus travel around the country. It's very useful. My doctor pretty much forced his letter of recommendation into my hands - I think he considered the alternative of allowing me behind the wheel of a car…


	13. Chapter Twelve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N - To the anonymous reviewer who decided to flame me and imply I was homophobic because I didn't write femslash, who exactly did you want me to make a lesbian? Voldemort? Harry? Wait! Barty? Hang on, they all have dicks. Pretty sure that exempts them from being able to call themselves lesbians. I am not homophobic. I have nothing against lesbians. I just happen to write fics in fandoms that have more male characters than female. Deal with it. And as a side note, shove your pompous, fucked up feminist (term used loosely) ideals up your arse. I'm all for equal rights, your review seemingly was against them. That isn't feminism. Wanker. 
> 
> *Coughs* To everyone else, enjoy this chapter! :D

Chapter Twelve

Harry barely held back the snarl he wanted to give when Ignotus woke up him - by shouting his name in his ear and thus making Harry wake up to the unpleasant feeling of his heart trying to escape through his mouth - but couldn't quite stop the small whine he also gave (once forcing his heart back to where it should be).

"I hate you," Harry muttered to a very amused looking Ignotus as the two made their way through the halls of Riddle Manor and towards where Harry would hopefully find out who the spy was. Harry wasn't actually naive enough to think Voldemort wouldn't hurt him if he failed to tell him who the spy was.

_"Your girly scream of fright never fails to amuse me, Horatio."_ Harry's scowl deepened at Ignotus' chuckled words, before coming to a stop in front of the doors to the meeting room.

"Are they all there?"

_"Apparently."_

"Wanna go get Severus so I can find out if the spy is there as well?" Harry asked, giving a small grin when Ignotus just gave a silent nod and walked through the door. Seconds later he returned with the dower looking Severus Snape, who sneered at Harry in greeting - well, Harry took it as a greeting as it was the best he was going to get. "Are they in there?"

_"Indeed they are. I was quite surprised to find out who it was. You should probably head in there, my lord is not the most patient at the best of times and this could not be considered the best of times,"_  Severus pointed out in his usual deadpan way, facial features not actually shifting out of the sneer he seemed to have permanently plastered on it. Harry vaguely wondered how it was his mother had found the man vaguely attractive. But then Harry has also wondered that about his father in the past.

"Right. I'd better go in then," Harry said, sounding a lot more sure than he felt. Taking a deep breath, Harry pushed the door open and managed to withhold the wince he wanted to give when the room went silent and everyone turned to face whoever had dared interrupt. Though Harry mentally pointed out that he was the only non-death eater in the house.

"Ah, Mr Waterhouse. Thank you for joining us. And not nearly as late as I had believed you would be," Voldemort drawled, smirking when Harry just rolled his eyes at the man's jibe.

"You asked me to be here by nine, and so here I am. Besides, Ignotus bothered me until I came. So, is everyone here?" Harry asked, well aware of what the answer would be due to Severus, but feeling he should ask anyway. Always better to ask a general question rather than 'hi, is the suspected spy here?'

"They are. Will you be successful tonight?"

"I will. Shall I begin?" Harry asked, grinning when he noticed a fair few Death Eaters giving off an almost tangible feeling of confusion. And one or two shifting uncomfortably.

"Just a moment. My Death Eaters, it has recently come to my attention that there is someone not quite as loyal as I would like amongst us," Voldemort said, glaring at the gathering Death Eaters as a susurrus of angry mutters washed over the room. Harry had to give the man props for adding drama to any situation. "I have called in Mr Waterhouse due to his skill with the dead. He has kindly lent me his services to find out who the spy is. Mr Waterhouse, are they in here?"

Harry looked up from where he had been staring at the strange pattern on the floor tiles - something he'd only just noticed - and stared at Voldemort blankly for half a beat before nodding his head. "Oh right! Yeah, they're in here. According to Severus at least."

"Then no one in here will stop you from telling me who they are," Voldemort said with a warning look to the increasingly uncomfortable looking crowd.

_"It would seem they've all realised nowhere is safe with you around. When I joined the Death Eaters, we didn't need a necromancer to tell us nowhere was safe,"_ Severus drawled as he stepped past Harry, sneering at the Death Eaters in front of them.

"Well, they always say you just can't get the staff anymore," Harry agreed with a sage nod as he walked further into the room to the dubious safety beside Voldemort. He was pretty certain he was the only person alive that considered it to be safer to stand next to the current Dark Lord. "So instead of whining, think you could tell me who the naught Death Eater is?"

Harry ignored the almost surround sound sighs that Voldemort, Severus and Ignotus gave and just looked at Severus expectantly.

_"I am almost ashamed to admit that the spy is one of my former students, but then again, most of the people under the age of thirty in here are my former students."_

"Wow, really? How old are you?" Harry asked before Voldemort shot a glare at him and made him think he should probably do what he came in here fore. "Oh right, yeah, who is it? I need a name."

_"This is the one. She's called Tracy Davis. Half blood - which really doesn't give us a good light and generally quite the mediocre student. No idea why she joined the Death Eaters when she never showed any inclination that she agreed with us,"_  Severus told him, standing next to one of the shorter Death Eaters on the outskirts, which Harry took to mean was where the plebby Death Eaters stood.

"That's possibly why she's a spy. You know, like, she totally wouldn't be one had she actually believed in what she was pillaging and murdering for. Wait, do you pillage?" Harry asked, looking over his shoulder to Voldemort, who just stared at him without speaking. "Okay…"

"Do you have a name?" Voldemort hissed dangerously low, making a shudder run down Harry's spine before his complete lack of self-preservation made him ignore it.

"Oh! Right! Yes! It's her! Over there, the one actually trying to inch her way out of the room. Huh. You know, I honestly thought that only happened in films. Apparently not. Miss Davis, you should probably just stay where you are. I mean, it's not going to make this hurt any less, but er… you know what? Do what you like," Harry advised, grinning when everyone, living and dead, all just stared at him like he was insane. Well, Harry assumed the Death Eaters were wondering about his sanity, he couldn't tell what with the masks though.

"Miss Davis, Mr Waterhouse is correct. It is pointless trying to escape. You should have considered this when you decided to betray me," Voldemort say with a hiss to his words as he stepped past Harry and moved towards the terrified Death Eater.

"Er… Lord Voldemort? Do you actually need me for this? Because, even though I talk to the dead on a regular basis, I'm actually really squeamish around blood and torture and such. No joke. I didn't sleep for days after I watched  _Scream_!" Harry told him as he started to slowly make his way towards the exit, scowling when Ignotus snickered - probably recalling Harry's reaction to any horror movie he'd been forced to watch.

"I have no idea what  _Scream_  is, but you're right, you no longer need to be here. Feel free to leave. I'll send someone to fetch you sometime tomorrow as I would like to speak to you about something else," Voldemort told him as he reached the door, making Harry pause and turn back to look at Voldemort in confusion.

"Er… what?"

"I'll let you know tomorrow. You're dismissed, Mr Waterhouse." Harry stared at him for a second longer before taking the hint and leaving the room as quickly as he could. He flinched and gave a small shudder when he heard the screams starting up.

He really hoped she didn't hold it against him and decide to bother him once she was killed. That would be annoying.

* * *

On the way to his room, Harry changed his mind and took a quick detour to the library, taking advantage of its empty state and quickly making his way straight for the secret cubby hole Tom Riddle Snr had told him about.

"So are they all having a whale of a time torturing that poor girl?" Harry asked as he took a seat at the desk and pulled his bones pouch from his belt and placed it on the desk in front of him.

_"I would hardly feel sorry for the idiot. She knew what she was doing when she decided to spy on Lord Voldemort,"_  Severus pointed out, making Harry shrug and silently admit the man was right.

"Yeah, alright. Cassandra, I'd like to speak to you if you're available," Harry said, shaking the bones out of the pouch and picking up the ones that belonged to Cassandra.

_"You wished to speak to me? You know, when I gave you those bones, I thought you would call me to you a lot sooner than you actually have,"_  Cassandra pointed out as soon as she appeared in front of them in the small hidden room.

"Cass! I've been a little um… busy. Sorry!" Harry admitted sheepishly, blushing a little and looking down at the knuckle he was nervously playing with.

_"I know, that's why I'm not going to curse you for a while. Now, was there a reason you wanted me to come here or did you just want to catch up?"_

"Well, we should catch up as well, but I was wondering if you knew or could at least give me a clue as to who I'll be waking up next and if I'll have to name them?" Harry asked her, getting to the point promptly and not bothering to beat around the bush.

_"Ah. Yes, we've all been talking about your little god issue. Don't worry, Lord Beli is keeping a close eye on you and making sure you'll never be in any trouble from those you name. On to that point though, I can tell you who to expect next but I can't tell you when, I'm afraid."_

"Well, at least knowing their name will help. So who is it?"

_"The next god that will wake up, so I have Seen, will be Aeron. I've also seen that soon enough both you and our Lord will have your hands full with a rather forward god."_

"Wait, what does that mean?"

" _Nothing bad, just that at least one of these gods is going to make your life just a little more interesting."_  Cassandra told him with a grin on her face that really didn't make Harry feel any better about her ominous warning.

"Great. Because my life isn't interesting enough already," Harry grumbled, ignoring the smirk Cass shot him and Severus rolling his eyes.

_"As long as my heir does not get hurt, I do not think we should worry too much over what may come in the future. Divination is a woolly subject anyway."_

_"A woolly subject?! I see what happens in the future! How is that woolly?"_  Cassandra demanded of Ignotus, hands on her hips as she glared at the completely unapologetic man.

_"The future is subjective to the whims of humanity. It always fluxes and changes, woman! How can you say, therefore, that that isn't woolly?"_

"Er…"

_"That's not woolly, it's just uncertain! And if you didn't have some belief in it, then Harry wouldn't have my knuckles and I wouldn't have been asked to come here!"_

_"Uncertain?! This is why I never got on with bloody Seers! You're all completely barmy!"_ Harry just stared at the two arguing spirits in front of him before looking at Severus in exasperation.

"What do you think?"

_"I think I'm done with this whole bloody war and the imbeciles fighting it! Quite frankly, if I were you, I'd go and hide in whatever hovel you're hiding your brother in and stay there until everyone on this godforsaken - literally apparently - island is wiped out,"_ Severus told him before disappearing from the room without another word. Harry stared at where he had been standing for a second before his gaze was drawn back to the still bickering Ignotus and Cassandra and deciding Severus had a good idea and quickly making his way out of the room and leaving the arguing spirits behind.

* * *

Mid-morning the next day Harry was interrupted during his perusal of some books in the library by a nervous looking Death Eater Harry didn't recognise walking over to him and looking like he really wanted to speak but for some reason didn't dare.

"Er… hello. Can I help you with something?" Harry asked the man, looking over his own shoulder to where Cadmus was smirking at the scared Death Eater.

_"He's not the most scary of terrorists, is he? Are we sure this is the scary side of the war?"_

"I thought we'd agreed that they weren't? I'm pretty sure I remember having that conversation," Harry pointed out, attention slipping away from the silent Death Eater as he turned to face Cadmus fully.

_"Did we? I must not have been there for that conversation. Did you decide Dumbledore was the scary side then?"_

"Not really. We kinda decided that none of them were scary when you'd seen half the things we'd all seen. Then we got distracted sharing weird memories and such. So how come you got necromancer babysitting duties today?"

_"Ignotus overworked himself staying around you without taking from your own energy, so he's decided to rest a bit and visit with his wife and sons. I volunteered myself to stick around. Afterlife has never been so exciting since you were born,"_  Cadmus told him with a smirk, making Harry just roll his eyes.

"Right. Of course. Not that I think my pre-school years would have been all that exciting,"

"Sir?" Harry actually jumped when the forgotten about Death Eater spoke up behind him, making Cadmus snicker at him as he spun around to face the still nervous looking man.

"Oh! Right! Sorry! What were you saying?"

"My Lord wishes to speak with you. I'm to lead you to him. Follow me," the Death Eater told him as he turned, clearly expecting Harry to just follow without asking any questions.

Which Harry did. He wasn't one to disappoint people. Actually, he found life was always a little more interesting when you disappointed people every so often.

"Why does he want to see me?" Harry asked as he followed behind the Death Eater - Harry couldn't be bothered to find out the man's name as it wasn't likely he'd speak to him again.

"He didn't tell me. He's currently meeting with his inner-circle and summoned me to bring you to him, that is all he told me though," the Death Eater told him before quickening his step and leading Harry to Voldemort's office. When they arrived, the Death Eater knocked on the door and then opened it and ushered Harry inside before leaving without another word.

"Strange little man," Harry commented to Cadmus, who nodded his agreement before they both turned and saw Voldemort and his Death Eaters all staring at him from where they were standing. "The weird Death Eater told me that you wished to see me."

"Ah yes, thank you for joining us. I wish to ask you something," Voldemort told him, motioning for him to move further into the room, the Death Eaters in there shifting so he could stand between them. Harry just eyed them all warily before moving and standing next to who he knew was Barty and smiling at him in silent greeting before turning his attention back on Voldemort.

"What was it you wanted to ask?"

"You said you knew of a seer. I was wondering if you could speak with them now for me," Voldemort enquired, actually sounding rather pleasant and making Harry fully understand why he was seen as such a charismatic man.

"Er… Cadmus?" Harry asked, looking to his ancestor for advice, not entirely sure what he should do.

_"It's up to you. Given the man does want to take over Britain at least and even he has annoyed The Great Mother. And taking into account the fact that our Lord really dislikes the man, it would probably be best if you used your bones to speak to her through them and didn't summon Cassandra to you,"_ Cadmus pointed out, making Harry nod in agreement.

"Yeah, you have a point. Okay then! I can talk to a seer for you, but it won't exactly be all 'ooh, aah', fog and dead bodies and shit. You don't pay me enough for that. Instead, I'll just relay whatever she tells me," Harry told Voldemort, untying his bones pouch from his belt and holding it in his hand.

"That will be sufficient, Mr Waterhouse. Do you need anything in particular to do this?" Voldemort asked him, eyeing the pouch with great interest and slight covetousness that Cadmus made a mental note to keep an eye on. Neither he nor his brothers truly trusted their heir around the current Dark Lord.

"Just a table of some sort. I need to cast out my bones after all," Harry told them with a small shrug, waiting as Voldemort waved some of the Death Eaters to the side and then conjured a small table that was just above waist height and almost perfect, not that Harry would tell him that.

"Will that be good enough?"

"It'll do."

"Hmm. Do you need anything else?"

"Nope," Harry said before he shook the bones out of the bag and into his hand, breathing on them a little - just for show, he can't let the humans think being a necromancer is all easy and such.

_"Maybe you could speak in a different language, make a bit more of a show to it,"_ Cadmus suggested, making Harry look away from his bones to throw a glare at him.

"Cassandra Trelawney, I am in need of your guidance," Harry droned, mentally cackling and wishing his drama teacher could see him now. Cadmus narrowed his eyes when he noticed all of those gathered in the room all perked up and looked impressed with the name of the famous Seer.

_"Oh now, twice in as many days. I am popular,"_ Cassandra said, appearing before Harry even though that wasn't exactly what he was aiming for. Still, it did the job.  _"What was it you wanted to ask me? Or should I say what was it Voldemort wanted to ask me?"_

"Lord Voldemort, what was it you wished for me to ask of the great seer?"

_"You flatterer, Harry,"_  Cassandra cooed, making Harry struggle to keep his face blank as he looked away from Cassandra and over to Voldemort, who was staring at him in his creepy dissecting way.

"I wish to know if she can tell me how long this war will last and whether I will be the victor at the end," Voldemort told him, and Harry bit his tongue from telling him the answer to his second question. He didn't need a seer to know that outcome. Instead Harry just nodded and then turned back to Cassandra with a raised eyebrow, not bothering to repeat the question given he knew Cassandra had heard it.

_"He's a nosy bugger, isn't he? Well, you and I both know that I cannot tell him what he does not truly wish to know. So his second question is out."_

"That is true. And the first?"

_"That one is harder to See. For some reason the length of time this war will last isn't clear. The nearest I can give is around six to nine months. Possibly a year at the longest. You possibly do not wish to know this, but it really all depends on you. The actions of your brother will also change the outcome. Though I imagine you don't want Voldemort to know that,"_  Cassandra told him, glancing past him to where Voldemort was looming in the background like some creepy harbinger of bad news.

"Is that the best you can See?"

_"You know it is. I'm all for dramatic exaggerations but don't be questioning my advice!"_  Harry just grinned and gave a small shrug before he gave a small bow to where Cassandra was standing.

"I thank you for your advice, great mistress," Harry murmured reverently, rolling his eyes when Cassndra preened and darted forward to press a kiss to his cheek before vanishing from the room. Harry then quickly and carefully picked up his bones and placed them back in their pouch before tying it back onto his belt once more. He then turned to face the Death Eaters and Voldemort.

"Have you an answer to my questions?"

"Probably not one you wanted to hear. I'll answer your second question first. Given you are the leader of one of the main factions of this war, she cannot tell you what you wish to know. We are to be observers in this life and we cannot tell you anything that may tilt the balances in anyway. So we cannot tell you what the final outcome of this war will be for fear it will tip the scales out of balance."

"Hmm," Voldemort just stared at him for a second before he waved the answer away and then raised an eyebrow. "And my first question?"

"That she could sort of answer. Apparently though, it all depends on certain factors as to when the war will officially end. She can give a time or somewhere between six and nine months. At the longest, it will last a year. However as previously mentioned, she couldn't tell me what actions or who would have to take said actions that would actually bring about the shortest length of time."

"Is that all you could tell me?" Voldemort asked, not looking at all impressed with what Harry had told him, not that Harry really expected him to be happy.

"Afraid so. You surely must know that it's a very dangerous path you weave for yourself if you rely on the word of Seers. They will always work towards the best path for themselves and their chosen god. If your path doesn't run parallel to theirs, then basically you're shit out of luck," Harry told him with a shrug, grinning when Cadmus started to snicker.

"So you're saying she basically lied to you and that what you have told me may or may not be the truth?"

"Oh no. She told me the truth, but only because she's already dead so whatever the outcome of the future, it won't affect her in the least. Though given she is connected to me, she may have told me whatever would be more favourable to my future. Who knows?" Harry admitted with a shrug. "Is that all you needed me for?"

"That is all."

"Good! I'm going to head back to the library then! Cadmus says you have the most amusing collection of black magic books and that it's always amusing to see how you humans come up with ways to try and contact the dead. Think on what I said about Seers, Voldemort. It's a knives edge you're walking there, careful you don't slip."

And with that warning, Harry swiftly made his way out of the room and thus out of range of any possible retaliation.

* * *

Harry startled when his paternal grandfather appeared in front of him suddenly, which wasn't the best of times as it happened to be when Harry was actually in another Death Eater meeting - out of sheer boredom and some curiosity over what they actually did when they weren't all pillagy and torturey - his sudden movement reminding many people that he was actually there.

"Something wrong Mr Waterhouse?" Voldemort drawled, stopping his scolding - though possibly a bit harsher than actual scolding - of an incompetent Death Eater and looking at him.

"Er... Nope! Carry on!" Harry said with a weak smile, making a shooing motion with his hands - which just got him a glare that could peel paint from Voldemort - before he turned his attention back to the spirit in front of him and sent him a silent questioning look.

_"It seems that my oldest grandson is as subtle and sneaky as any Gryffindor. And by that, I mean not at all,"_ John Potter - Harry's grandfather - told him with a roll of his eyes as he moved to stand next to Harry and watch the proceedings.

"Erm… okay?" Harry said, not entirely sure why his grandfather was there telling him this when Harry had asked him to watch over Charlus. "Why are you here?"

_"I thought I'd come and give you a heads up. Lord Voldemort's spy has some news about your older brother that will probably come up in this meeting. Antioch informed me that you would be here and it'd be best to warn you in advance so you don't give yourself away. After all, they don't actually know Charlus is your brother."_

"It's nothing bad, is it?"

_"Not bad, per se. You'll see. Ah, now, in fact. That's the spy within the Order,"_  John told him when a masked Death Eater stood forward from the group of and bowed low before Voldemort before straightening and waiting patiently for Voldemort to acknowledge her properly.

"Ah, my loyal spy," Voldemort hissed a few minutes later, clearly quite certain in that praise given Harry hadn't outed whoever the Death Eater was.

"My Lord."

"What news do you have?" Voldemort asked, Harry watching closer than he had for most of the meeting given what his grandfather had just informed him and silently praying Charlus hadn't carried the family tradition of being a moron and done something stupid. Really, it was amazing the Potters had lasted this long…

"I have news about Dumbledore and his Golden Boy, my lord."

"What of them?"

"It seems that Charlus Potter is starting to go against what Dumbledore wishes him to do. No one seems to be aware of the reasons, but Potter is questioning Dumbledore's orders more and more, and seems to be unhappy with the way things are going. He also keeps disappearing for periods of time where no one knows what he is doing or even where he is. There are some that are thinking he is going dark," the Death Eater informed them. Harry fidgeted a little and glanced to where John was standing alongside Cadmus and Ignotus.

"Does anyone have any idea of what he has been doing?" Voldemort asked the spy, making Harry almost have to physically restrain himself from fidgeting.

"No, my lord. Some seem to think he is meeting up with someone, though they don't know who. Lily seems to have an idea but she isn't saying anything. Charlus is also asking more and more questions about what exactly the war is being fought over. And why any magic should be banned or considered bad. I think it is that last one that is making people believe he has going dark."

"Interesting. Tell me, are you close to Charlus?"

"I speak to him, my lord, but I wouldn't consider anyone particularly close to him. His friends are not part of the Order and the Weasley's that he is close to are not active members either."

"See if you can get closer to him. Perhaps find out if he is leaning more towards our side. Much as I would love to kill the annoying brat, I do recognise that he is powerful and would be a boon to our side," Voldemort told them, making a few of the braver - or more stupid, Harry couldn't decide - Death Eaters to mutter amongst themselves.

"I will see what I can find out for you then, my lord. If it seems that he may be open to joining your cause, what should I do?" The spy asked, making Harry grow increasingly more agitated.

"Leave it for the time being. We can make a more definite plan if and when you start to make some headway. The last thing we need is you losing your place in the Order. We don't have another spy since Severus was killed," Voldemort admitted with a sneer, almost looking as though he blamed Severus for not putting his imminent death to the side until the war was over.

"As you wish, my lord."

"The news from this meeting has pleased me. You are all dismissed. Come to me should any of you hear anything about Charlus Potter that may help us in anyway. Including you, Mr Waterhouse," Voldemort added, making Harry jerk in the spot and look at him with wide, stunned eyes.

"Pardon?"

"I said, you should have someone watching over Charlus Potter, see if they can tell you anything interesting," Voldemort told him, eyes narrowing when Harry continued to mentally - and slightly physically - flounder at the request.

"Ah… I can't…" Harry told him slowly, hoping he sounded a lot more sure of where he was going with this than he was feeling.

"And why not?"

_"The gods! Tell him The Great Mother herself is taking an interest! Tell him you cannot cross her and not even our Lord would be able to protect you. A lie, of course, but he isn't to know that. And I'm sure our Lord can overlook you making him look weaker than the Great Mother just this once,"_ Cadmus told him with a small wince which Harry wanted to mirror - their Lord was not going to be impressed.

"Well?"

"Oh! Right. The Great Mother of Magic, who, I get you all don't really know about anymore and so don't actually believe in, but not Her problem. Still, She has taken an interest in Charlus and yourself. Because of this, I can't actually have anyone spy on either of you without consequences that not even my Lord would be able to protect me from," Harry told him, fervently hoping for his and his brother's sake that he'd gotten marginally better at bull-shitting.

_"Why did you include him?! Now he's going to feel free to plot behind your back!"_ Cadmus hissed. Harry only just stopped himself from rolling his eyes and pointing out that he was  _lying_.

On the plus side, apparently he really was getting better at lying.  _Or_  the Potter stupidity was actually  _Peverell_  stupidity.

"That is an inconvenience. Never mind, perhaps your spies will be able to pick up on something from Order members that my spy cannot. You are also dismissed, Mr Waterhouse," Voldemort said, dismissing him with a wave of his hand and turning to hiss sharply at the snake - Nagini? Nagita? - by his side. Harry took one glance at the snake and quickly took Voldemort's advice and swiftly left the room.

* * *

 _"When do you wish to contact Agrippa?"_  Antioch asked him in a bored tone as he reclined on Harry's bed - making Harry wonder if the spirit could actually feel how comfy it was or was just concentrating on not fazing through it.

"I should probably do that soon, shouldn't I?" Harry said with a sheepish grin, he'd completely forgotten about having to ask Agrippa about using his house. "Should I use my bones or do you think it's something I should ask in person?"

_"He'll be coming to you from the Green Room wherever you ask him, so either way it'll be in person. Does it really matter where you are when you ask him?"_ Antioch drawled, looking at him like he was completely dense.

"You do have a point. Man, I've been doing nothing but use these bones the past couple of days," Harry muttered, taking his pouch into his hand and moving to sit on the floor by the bed before he threw the bones on the floor in front of him and concentrated on calling Agrippa to his bones.

_"Oh now, that is quite the rush!"_ Agrippa gushed when he appeared in the room. Harry just snickered at the strange man's reaction to Harry's necromantic energy pulling him to Harry.

"Hey, Agrippa!"

_"Horatio! How are you? Lovely to see you, little Necromancer!"_ Agrippa greeted him cheerfully, making Harry snicker once again whilst Antioch just scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"I'm good thanks, Agrippa. How have you been?"

_"I'm dead, so naturally, I've been grand! Now, did you call me here for a reason, or did you just miss having conversations with me?"_ Agrippa asked him with a wide smile. Harry just shrugged and grinned sheepishly, given Harry hadn't actually had many conversations with Agrippa, it wasn't all that hard to guess which of the reasons it was that Harry had called for him.

"I need to ask a favour of you, if you don't mind," Harry said, nervously nibbling his bottom lip a little.

_"What is it you wished to ask of me?"_

"I was wondering if you would allow me and one other access to your 'lost' house. I need to hide my brother for a while. He wants out and you were the first person I thought of that could hide him," Harry told him fully using the man's ego to his benefit.

_"You wish to hide Charlus Potter in one of the few unplottable 'lost' places in the world? You're not just a pretty face now, are you?"_

"Hey! I sometimes, occasionally have good ideas!"

_"We were the ones to suggest he think of somewhere unplottable. Though in Horatio's defence he did think of you. It would be a great favour to, not only Horatio, but also the House of Peverell,"_  Antioch told Agrippa, making Harry have to duck his head to cover his grin at Antioch's not-so-subtle manipulation.

_"The House of Peverell? Now that is quite the boon. Of course you can use my chateau, young Horatio. You will need me to lead you to the warding key so that you can find it, but we can do that at another time of course. Really, you just need to call me when you're thinking of moving him there."_

"That's great, Agrippa! Thank you! I'll let you know when, when we decide on the date if that's okay?"

_"That is fine, Horatio. Now, what's this I've been hearing about the Old Ones waking once more?"_

* * *

Harry looked around him and frowned as he saw nothing other than pale blue smoke wafting around the vast dark void he was standing (floating?) in. He looked around the void, looking for any sign of life and feeling a deep sense of discomfort when he noticed nothing. Not even the dead spirits of his family.

"Hello?" Harry took an unsteady step forward, wondering exactly where he was - the last thing he remembered was falling asleep - which lead him to believe this was possibly a dream.

_"Gold seolfur blud."_  Harry spun around at the hoarse whisper from behind him and bit his lower lip when he didn't see anyone there.

"Is anyone here?"

_"They broc the land."_

"Who's there? What do you want?" Harry called out, an uneasy feeling settling over him at the deep, rough voice that whispered near him.

_"It is the small folc must tac them."_

"But it won't end," Harry pointed out, not really knowing how he knew what to say but something telling him what he should reply with to that whispered comment. He was beginning to realise he knew what he was speaking to. He just didn't know which one it was.

_"Then what sceal be done?"_

"Sum thing sceal be done," Harry responded, answering back in the same broken old English without even thinking about it.

_"And what sceal it be?"_

"It sceal be war," Harry pointed out, wanting for the bodiless voice to realise just what their awakening was bringing about. Not that there wouldn't have been a war without them.

_"Who sceal lead this war?"_

"Sum great man."

_"What man is this?"_

"The man will cum."

_"And what sceal his name be?"_

"I does not cnaw."

_"Does thus cnaw any thing?"_

"I cnawan we moste feoht."

_"Then feoht!"_  And Harry woke up with a loud gasp, heart thumping loudly in his chest as he tried to claw back some control over his body and catch his breath. As he gasped out for desperately needed breath and ignored the concerned questions of Cadmus, Harry was beginning to have a guess on who his dream visitor had been.

Cassandra had told him to expect Aeron soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N - Sorry this is a bit late! Went to see Maze Runner On Wednesday (actually quite a good film…) And then my internet provider decided to cut me off… a whole two days after I'd paid my bill. Quite the novel idea, I must say. 'Pay your bill and we'll cut you off anyway! Mwahahaha!'. On the plus side, at least I didn't decide to just wait a whole extra week so this is posted on a Wednesday (I did consider it…)! :D Still… HAPPY HALLOWEEN! 
> 
> One last time now… Harry and Voldemort are not going to get together. It would be an unmitigated disaster. Happy? Or at least accepting? If not, then this fic is just going to be one big disappointment for you. *Grins* 
> 
> Er… sorry if the last part was a little weird… and for totally misleading those I told about the appearance of another god… *snickers*
> 
> Right, I'll stop being lazy, here's the translation of the conversation between Harry and Aeron:  
> Gold seolfur blud -Gold sulphur blood  
> They broc the land - They broke the land  
> It is the small folc must tac them -It is the small folk that must take them  
> Then what sceal be done? -Then what shall be done?  
> Sum thing sceal be done -Something shall be done  
> And what sceal it be - And what shall it be  
> It sceal be war -It shall be war  
> Who sceal lead this war -Who shall lead this war?  
> And what sceal his name be - And what shall his name be?  
> I does not chaw - I do not know  
> Does thus cnaw any thing - Do you know anything?  
> I cnawan we moste feoht - I know we must fight  
> Then feoht - Then fight
> 
> Fact of the chapter: Apparently pigeons were associated with death and it was thought you couldn't die if you lay on pigeons' feathers. In fact, Samuel Pepys (you know the bloke, wrote about the Great Fire of London. Was allegedly the one who gave the idea to save London… or what was left of it. You know, after all the poor, plague-ridden people had burnt alive…) recorded that sick acquaintances of his surrounded themselves with pigeons. Including Catherine of Braganza, the wife of Charles II, who was very ill at the time. I'm not a doctor, but I could possibly think of a couple reasons why she wasn't getting better. They all have wings and coo. 
> 
> Also, thank you for all your interesting facts you've given me! Seriously, they're quite amusing… and so many of them are rather morbid or just plain wrong… *snickers* And by wrong I mean 'oh dear god, why did you tell me that?! I can never unread that!'


	14. Chapter Thirteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry about the long delay on getting this chapter posted! Apparently doing two cons in the span of a week isn't a good idea for my already weak immune system and I was hospitalised in an isolation ward to give it a bit of a break. *Shrugs* So yeah. Sorry about that. Hopefully this chapter makes up for the delay and I'll try to ensure the wait isn't quite so long for the next chapter!

Chapter Thirteen

Harry calmly stepped out of the gate he had made into the Exeter cemetery he'd used the first time he had met up with Charlus. A glance to the side showed him that Ignotus and Aunty Sylv were waiting for him, so he promptly closed off the gate and looked at them both with a bright smile.

"I'm totally getting better at this portal making business!" Harry said, grinning when Ignotus twitched at the incorrect wording, though his shoulders slumped a little when the spirit refused to rise to the bait.

_"Given how often you have been using them recently, is it really a surprise? Now, your brother will be appearing at that cafe soon enough and you still have to catch the right bus, so stop dawdling and get a move on,"_ Sylv told him, smirking at Ignotus' muttering under his breath.

Harry just rolled his eyes at the two and walked out of the cemetery to stand at the bus stop, mentally thanking whatever gods were listening - and he conceded that at that point there were probably more than usual - that Cadmus wasn't there to pick a fight with Sylv.

Thirty minutes later, Harry was walking through Exeter city centre towards the Twisted Teapot cafe, smiling brightly when he noticed that Charlus - like a few other customers - was making the most of the unseasonably warm weather and was sitting at one of the tables outside.

"Harry!" Charlus stood up from the table when he noticed Harry walking towards him and dragged him into a hug, before stepping back and sitting back down.

"Hey, Charlie. How have things been? Rumours of your lack of enthusiasm and mysterious meetings have started to crop up, even where I am. Actually, they really are far too concerned with what you're doing and what you're thinking rather than the actual war. It's a wonder they get anything done," Harry muttered with a roll of his eyes, grinning when Charlus snickered and shook his head at him.

"Good to know I'm so popular there. And things have been alright. Rose and Dahlia have successfully left Europe and have mysteriously found themselves in an almost no contact zone. And mum is constantly switching between worry for them and relief that they've gotten away. Oh! I gave mum your letter as well. I think she nearly burst into tears when she read whatever it is you wrote to her. Still, at least she knows you're alright now and Dumbledore was just blatantly lying when he told the Order that Voldemort was torturing you or something," Charlus told him with a sneer at what he thought of Dumbledore's recent actions.

_"I think Voldemort would say he was the one being tortured,"_  Ignotus murmured dryly, getting a snicker from Sylv and making Harry scowl before he shook his head and looked back at Charlus.

"I'm glad my letter reassured her then. Have you sorted out all your affairs and prepared to disappear?" Harry asked, deciding to get to the root of the reason they were actually meeting, given he wasn't all to sure how long he had before his absence was noticed and Antioch came to warn him.

"I've started to at least. I've informed the goblins and they've provided me with a post box," Charlus told him with a bright smile, which dimmed a little when Harry just stared at him blankly.

"They've given you a post box? Er… why? Is it a red one?"

_"Could be gold,"_  Ignotus pointed out, only to be waved away by Harry with a shake of his head.

"No, that hasn't happened yet. So?" Harry asked, ignoring the amused look Charlus was sending him.

"Who's here with us? And er… a post box is literally just a box that wizards can send letters to via Gringotts. Basically, any post addressed to me will be rerouted to Gringotts and they'll send it on to the box. Hence a post box."

"Okay… wizards are weird. Oh well. And Ignotus is with us, and Aunty Sylv as well, though she's wandered off into the cafe. No idea why. Probably to criticise them somehow," Harry told him with a roll of his eyes.

"Mum told me about her before, you know… she sounds like she was quite the interesting woman," Charlus told him with a wide grin, snickering when Harry grinned back at him.

"That's one way of putting it," Harry muttered.

"So, you've asked me if I've sorted everything out on my end, does that mean you have everything sorted on your end?" Charlus finally asked him after they had both fallen into a comfortable silence for a few minutes.

"Pretty much. We just need to decide on a date to move you. I've asked the owner of the place I'm sending you though and I do need to ask permission from my Lord to move you there, but other than that, it's all sorted," Harry admitted, hoping he didn't show just how nervous the thought of asking Lord Beli for anything was making him.

"Huh. I'm gonna assume - and hope - that your lord isn't Lord V?" Charlus said, wincing a little at the thought. Well, Harry assumed it was at the thought.

"No. Fear not on that one. My lord is Death. Voldiepants is well aware of where my allegiance stands and I'm fairly certain he won't do anything to try and sway me from Him for fear of his life," Harry admitted with a grin, getting a wider one from Charlus in return.

"So do you have an idea of a date to move me?"

"Actually, I do. The best time to move you would be Samhain morning. I tend to start my celebrations the night before so that everything is ready for the main event by midnight. So we can meet up in a cemetery near here at around two in the morning and then go from here to the hideout. Samhain is when my powers are strongest and when it's impossible to track me. Lord Beli - Death to you - will be most aware of my actions and whereabouts, so if anything happens, He'll be there to help me. I hope. In theory at least," Harry said sheepishly, shrugging when Charlus just gaped at him and then shook his head with a wry grin.

"Fingers crossed then. Where's this cemetery we should meet in?"

"Ah, I can take you there once we've finished here, if you want? It's only a short bus journey," Harry told him, glancing to the side when he noticed Sylv making her way back to them.

"Okay, shall we make our way there now, then? I've kinda gotta get back soon anyway before they start searching for me," Charlus admitted with a small scowl.

"Still refusing to let you off the leash then?"

"Pretty much. Gods forbid that they try to fight this war themselves," Charlus muttered with a heavy sigh. Harry just shot him a sad look before he shook his head and grinned brightly.

"Well, I can let you know their reaction when they find that their main weapon in this war has flown the coop! Could be good for a laugh!"

"Please do! Bring on Samhain, huh?"

"You've just got to avoid being thrown in front of a pissed off Voldieboots - which seems to be quite a common state of mind for that man - by Dumbles before then," Harry pointed out cheerfully, smiling brightly at the glare Charlus sent his way.

* * *

Three days after Harry met up with his brother and finalised their plan, Cadmus suddenly appeared in front of him whilst he had been wandering the halls of the manor and absently wondering if he would be able to convince Voldemort to let him use the kitchen – read: bribe the man with eclairs.

"Uh, hey, Cadmus. You alright? You seem a little flustered, which is quite impressive given I didn't think that was something spirits  _could_  look," Harry pointed out, looking at Cadmus warily, and glancing around to see if there were any lingering Death Eaters around trying to listen in on what, to them, was a one sided conversation. Actually, Harry had taken note that the Death Eaters had been suspiciously absent in recent days. Including Marcus and Barty - though he did vaguely recall Barty telling him that he would be going on a mission.

_"You are needed again. There is One that needs to be named."_

"Now?"

_"Yes. Follow me. We'll leave from the Riddle cemetery as usual,"_  Cadmus told him, turning swiftly and walking off, not bothering to look behind him to check that Harry actually was following. Because he was.

"Where do we need to go?"

_"It does not truly matter, though blood needs to have been spilt there in some form of battle or murder,_ " Cadmus informed him as they quickly made their way to Tom Riddle Snr's grave.

"Cheerful."

_"What did you expect from the God of Battle and Slaughter? Now, I thought the battlefield where James of the Gordon Clan rests given you have such a strong link to those grounds. It should help make it easier on you and also protect you even more than anywhere else would,"_ Cadmus told him as they reached Tom's grave. Harry gave him a small nod and then expertly drew the required runes on the headstone - he'd started carrying a piece of chalk that he'd made with him at all times given he was getting fed up of bleeding in order to draw them.

"So, He'll know where to come then?"

_"He'll know. Now go, it is always best not to keep the Old Ones waiting."_  Cadmus urged, ushering him through the opening gate. Harry just rolled his eyes and mentally complained about being treated like a complete amateur by his mentors, though still followed Cadmus's instruction and entered the gate.

He smile brightly upon passing through when he saw James was standing there on the other side waiting for him. Apparently news had spread fast - though he was fairly certain James probably hadn't followed these gods, or at least not by the name Harry will be giving them.

"Hi, James. Here to meet the god?"

_"I am here under orders from your Lord to keep an eye on you. It seems this is one god He is not too sure about,"_  James told him, not at all putting Harry at ease with the news.

"Right. Well, um… thanks? No. Not what I wanted to say at all. What the hell do you mean, 'He's not too sure about him'? Am I going to be impaled by an grumpy tired god?! You said I can't, die, right? Well, I saw  _Death Becomes Her_  and it didn't end pretty!" Harry exclaimed, turning and flailing his arms when he noticed Cadmus standing just behind him with a highly amused look on his face.

_"Have you finished whining? If so, you do know wizards, I'm sore one of them will happily fill in the hole in your chest should the god impale you. Of course, the longer you prolong His naming with your unnecessary whining, the more likely it is you will be impaled."_

"You do have a point. Right then, is there anywhere in particular I should stand, or is where I am fine enough?" Harry asked, looking at both spirits, glaring at James a little when he looked amused at Harry's flailing.

_"Anywhere is fine. Just concentrate on who it is you are calling and He shall do the rest,"_  Cadmus told him. Harry nodded and then knelt on the floor, closing his eyes as he focused on his death energy and then concentrated on who he was calling to him.

Just like with Amatheon, Harry felt a strong rush of energy run through him before he got the sensation of someone standing before him just seconds before a hand was gently placed on the top of his head, making his eyes shoot open in shock and stare up at the tall man in front of him. The god stared down at him, wearing simple looking clothing made of brown leather and had a heavy fern green coloured cloak around his shoulders. What made Harry nervous however was the bow and quiver of arrows on His back, and the angry looking scar going across the left corner of His mouth. Harry relaxed though when he caught the warm look in the god's dark green-blue eyes.

_"Thu cnaw me."_

"I do."

_"Thu cnaw my name."_

"Yes."

_"Thu cnaw who sceal feoght?"_

"Yes."

_"Name me."_

"Aeron." As with Amatheon, Harry made eye contact with the god and then cried in pain as His power crashed down on him and made him sink further to the floor, glad he had remembered to kneel. The pain quickly vanished as the power was lifted from him moments later and Aeron knelt in front of him, placing a warm hand under his chin and lifting Harry's head so he could look at Him.

_"Many thanks, Thegn of Lord Beli,"_  Aeron told him with a small smile and a nod of the head, quickly running a hand through Harry's hair and playfully tugging on the emerald bead in his hair. Harry stared at Aeron, stunned and wondering why He was still here when Amatheon had left almost as soon as He had given Harry His thanks.

"You're welcome, Aeron. Um… did you need something else?" Harry asked, wincing a little when he could almost physically feel Cadmus's glare burning into his back.

_"Lord Beli was right about you,"_ Aeron told him, speech becoming a more formal sounding form of modern English now that Harry had tied Him to modern Britain.

"He was?"

_"He chose well. I need to leave soon, however I have two messages from you,"_  Aeron told him, sitting back on his heels slightly when Harry straightened and still refused to turn to see just how much Cadmus wanted to throttle him.

"Are they good messages?"

_"Lord Beli wishes for me to inform you that your brother has His blessing to go through His gates to safety. And the goddess of Light and her son, the god of the sea will be the next two who need to be named. Your mentors will tell you when they are ready and where you will need to be. It will not be until after Samhain. Good luck to you, Thegn of Lord Beli. I shall be seeing you again soon,"_  Aeron ominously informed him before disappearing from the field and leaving Harry with a vague sense of paranoia.

_"You questioned a blood god! Not only that, it was the god of slaughter and battle! Slaughter! I would have found some way to tell the bloody wizards you didn't deserve healing had he impaled you!"_ Cadmus scolded, glaring when Harry tried to look contrite but couldn't quite wipe the tired grin from his face as the spirit actually wagged his finger in Harry's face.

"Yeah. Yeah. I know. I'm so uncouth. Was it me or did that er… promise of seeing me again soon sound rather ominous. Like He's going to do a surprise check in to make sure I'm doing my job. Or an ofsted visit or something. Tests always make me nervous! And He'll know when I'm cheating and asking the dead!" Harry whined, pouting when Cadmus looked entirely unimpressed.

_"Maybe you should focus on who it is you'll be naming next. I assume you know their names."_

"Yeah. I know their names. Though I totally thought they were brother and sister, not mother and son. Maybe I should check my theology knowledge. He said it'll be after Samhain, right?"

_"He did. He also said that you had our Lord's permission to take Charlus through a gate, so that means you won't have to summon Him to find out. One less thing to bother Him with."_

"Yep. And some good news to tell Charlus as well. Shall we head back now then before someone realises I'm not where I should be?" Harry asked, getting a nod from Cadmus and leading the way back to the still open gate. Admittedly not the wisest thing to leave around with nosy wizards within finding distance, but ultimately it wouldn't be Harry who regretted them walking through it.

* * *

A week later, Harry was making his way through the halls of Riddle Manor after having been summoned by Voldemort to a meeting. He refused to acknowledge the uneasy feeling bubbling in his stomach and just turned to look at Severus - who had strangely been the one to fetch him. Apparently when your Lord yelled your name and told you to fetch the only person who could hear you, you listened. Even though there was no way you'd be punished for not following the order. Death Eaters were just strange in Harry's mind.

"So… you don't actually know why he screamed for you to bring me here? At all? Nothing to even give you a hint?" Harry asked quietly, glancing at the stoic man walking beside him.

_"No. I wasn't there for whatever it was that riled the man up. Which, knowing that man, he'd stubbed his toe and decided it was your fault. Whatever the reason though, I do suggest you hurry up as the man certainly isn't known for his patience,"_ Severus drawled, leading him to the room the Death Eaters were meeting in and pausing by the door.  _"I fear though, that it may have something to do with a new spy he has. It seems reasonable that the name of the young man - you - Dumbledore is searching for has finally been mentioned."_

"Ah shit. Right well, I'd better get in there then. Not in my best interest to keep the insane bugger waiting, huh?"

_"Quite."_ Harry just rolled his eyes at Severus' drawl and then took a deep breath before opening the door to the meeting room and immediately ducking. He then sheepishly stood up and rubbed the back of his neck when everyone in the room just stared at him in confusion and Voldemort just smirked at him, wand nowhere in sight.

"Hey! Last time I entered a room you were in when you were pissed, I was cursed. Don't mock me for thinking this time wouldn't be any different. And also? Don't use the dead to summon me. It'll just piss me, them and Lord Beli off. Don't do it. It's not healthy for you," Harry added quickly, before glancing out the corner of his eye to where Severus was standing by the wall, looking bored with the entire affair. "Could you possibly go and fetch Ignotus for me? Cheers!"

_"I feel I've exchanged one master for another."_

"Technically that would imply you had a choice in the matter. Which you didn't. Well, I suppose you had a choice as to whether you should follow Voldie-fellow in the first place, but other than that, nope, no choice. So go fetch my mentor and stop whining about it. And don't you dare take points from whatever Hogwarts house you've pissed at today! I never went and you're not a teacher any more!" Harry added when it looked like Severus was indeed going to do just that. Harry already felt bad that he'd lost Hufflepuff three hundred and seventy points the other day for deliberately turning a truth potion into a potent poison.

"When you have quite finished," Voldemort drawled, not looking in the least bit annoyed - or surprised - at Harry's mangling of his name. Something Harry did on a fairly regular basis. No one was really sure if Harry actually knew what came after Volde in Voldemort's name.

"Right. So you wanted me. You bellowed for a dead follower to fetch me and here I am. Seriously though, don't do that again. You've got plenty of living minions to do that. I promise not to permanently harm them or scar them too badly," Harry said with a bright - and hopefully innocent - smile.

"Of course you wouldn't," Voldemort drawled, before waving him nearer. All the Death Eaters quickly parted to make a clear path to where Voldemort was standing, which really didn't make Harry feel any more at ease.

"So, what did you want to see me for?"

"It has come to my attention that you have been keeping something from me," Voldemort told him, starting to sound a little angry once more now that his attention had been brought back to why he'd been angry in the first place.

"To be fair, I've been keeping quite a lot from you. It's not like I drop by my daily itinerary to you every day. Nor have I thoughtfully wrote my biography out for you. Though should I ever do that, you could so write the foreword for it or something," Harry told him with a bright smile, which dimmed a little when Voldemort continued to look unimpressed and slightly pissed off.

"This something is important. It seems that you have lied to me about your name. Isn't that so, Harry Potter!" Voldemort yelled, making Harry wince a little before he straightened his back and stared at Voldemort, warily watching as the man's wand appeared in his hand.

"Wait! Before you curse me, tell me exactly what it is I've done wrong? My name  _isn't_  Harry Potter anymore, and you never ever asked me if I had any siblings. As far as I'm concerned, James Potter isn't my father," Harry admitted with a shrug, though still keeping an eye on the insane wizards wand.

"And you didn't think it prudent to tell me about your family, Potter?" Voldemort asked, spitting the name like it was some sort of curse.

Harry just rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest, "I'm  _not_  a Potter anymore. I was disowned by the Potter Lord and due to my blood, I inherited a far more prestigious title than 'the brother of the Potter heir'."

"And that would be?"

"Pleased to meet you, I'm Horatio Waterhouse Peverell,  _Lord_  Peverell. Read their will, the goblins still have it. Their title and a vault they set up was to go to the next necromancer to be born. No matter when that would be. Which, as you probably have all guessed, is me. And when I die, the title will disappear once again until another necromancer crops up. Unless there is already one to have been born. If so, they will be my heir, whether I meet them or not," Harry told everyone with a shrug, wondering why everyone in the room was looking at him with a slight stunned expression on their faces. Well, the faces he could see given most were wearing masks.

"You are Lord Peverell?" Malfoy asked suddenly, looking like he'd eaten something entirely unpleasant and really disagreed with him.

"Yep. Got the letter from the goblins and everything. So, the point to all this is that I'm  _not_  a Potter. In fact I haven't seen them since they gave me up when I was eleven," Harry told them, ignoring the mental voice telling him that was a boldfaced lie.

"You have access to the Peverell vault?" Voldemort asked him suddenly, looking at him with narrowed eyes that had a glint to them that Harry really didn't like.

"I do. Not that it'll be any good to anyone else that isn't a necromancer. It only really contains books and items to use in rituals. But now that I've made my own tools, I don't need theirs. Though they do have a ruby dagger that I use sometimes. If only because it's really pretty," Harry admitted with a sheepish grin and a shrug.

"You have a ruby dagger?"

"No. Well, yes, I suppose it is mine now. But I also have a selection of daggers that I made - or had made at least - in other stones that are more suited to me and my needs. Plus ruby isn't my birth stone, it's Cadmus' birth stone. Mine is garnet. And no necromancer really needs courage and vigour so it's a pretty rare dagger to be needed in a ritual unless you were born in July," Harry added, before he noticed the greedy look on Malfoy's face. "Of course, stealing a solid ruby or any stone dagger from the necromancer it belongs to is a really stupid idea."

"Yes, I imagine it would be," Voldemort drawled, shooting a warning glance at Malfoy who immediately bowed his head and stepped back slightly.

"So, now you know I'm Lord Peverell and that technically my brother is the Boy Who Lived, or whatever. Do you need me for anything else?"

"Not today, but I may have need for you soon to find out if a raid I have planned will be a good idea. You can contact your seer for me then," Voldemort told him, narrowing his eyes when Harry just rolled his.

"Fine. Whatever. Can I go then?"

"Yes, you may leave."

"Cheers. Don't use the dead as your messengers again," Harry reminded him before he left the room behind, absently wondering just where Severus was with his mentors. Still at least he hadn't said something to get himself killed without them there to censor him.

* * *

The next day, Harry sat in his secret cubby hole with the Peverell's sitting in front of him and his garnet knife along with a small, thin branch of apple wood with a sharpened tip on the table in front of him.

"So I do this ritual and I'll be legally known as Lord Peverell everywhere and not just by the goblins?"

_"Yes. In theory, this is more tied with The Great Mother than it is Lord Beli, but He will be the connection to Her and thus will make it work. That will mean that all legal documents will be magically changed to read Horatio Peverell, Earl of Anglesey,"_ Ignotus explained, sighing when Harry stared at him in shock.

"I'm an Earl?! Since when?"

_"Since birth, technically."_

"I thought I was just a baron! Wow. An early, huh? So I totally outrank Lord Whosit outside?"

_"Yes. But that was obvious anyway seeing as he is a self-titled Lord. Though I suppose had the Slytherin barony not been given back to the crown after Marvolo Gaunt had been convicted for murder then he would indeed be a legal lord. Still, he'd be below you in the peerage either way,"_ Antioch pointed out, not looking at all like he was actually lecturing Harry, even though he technically was.

"Probably a good thing that man doesn't have a legal vote in the House of Lords," Harry added playing with the knife in his hands before guiltily putting it back down on the table when Cadmus hissed angrily at him like a wet cat. "Ooh! Actually, does this mean I'm in line for the crown?"

_"Yes. Though I think you're something like 116_ _th_ _in line to the throne. And given the Queen's grandchildren are legal adults now, then it's safe to say they will likely have children and so you'll be bumped even further down the chain. So in short, you should probable give up any hope of getting the throne."_

"Man, you pissed all over that dream, didn't you. So, back to the ritual, what do I do?"

_"It's actually fairly simple. You just cut your finger with the garnet blade, then sign the form the goblins kindly sent you in your blood with the applewood. The use of your blood will mean all muggle papers will also be changed, something the goblins do not do,"_  Ignotus told him, watching as Harry did exactly as told, then when he'd finished the elaborate scrawl that was his signature - Cadmus claimed it looked like a spider had fallen in a pot of ink and then had some sort of fit across the paper - the form flashed a bright green colour and vanished from the table.

"Well, it either worked or it was a really elaborate scheme to copy my identity. Does this mean I can now go around and everyone has to call me 'my lord'?"

_"Yes, technically. Or Earl Anglesey. Good luck getting Lord Voldemort to follow that rule however."_

"Oh!" Harry exclaimed suddenly, sitting up straight in his seat and looking at the Peverell's with a generally stunned look on his face.

_"No. Lord Beli is just one of His names. He is a god. He's above you, kings, queens, emperors and Pharaohs. So no, He does not have to call you 'my lord' and the same goes for the other gods and goddesses. It's probably best that you even forget you considered it,"_ Cadmus told him, making Harry paranoid that they could read his mind.

"You scare me sometimes."

_"It's just amazing how well we know you. Now, because you have claimed that, the papers should technically appear in the Ministry of Magic's records as you'll now have a seat in the wizengamot as well as the House of Lords. Though I would advise against claiming either of them."_

"Yeah, because everyone that knows me would automatically assume I am made for politics. Now, is that everything I had to do, because that really seemed a little too easy?"

_"It wasn't supposed to be hard. Though had you not been who you were claiming to be, then it would have been a touch more difficult and painful for you. However, now that you have done this ritual, it is possibly also a good idea to do a ritual that will tie you even more closely to the dead and Lord Beli. I know we originally did a ritual a few months back to help your concentration and to make it easier for you to stay in the land of the living, but with the way things are going, it will probably be safer for you if you always had half your soul in Lord Beli's realm. It will enable Him to hear you should you spill your blood and call for Him, and it will also enable the dead to help you even more. You'll also no longer have to give us your energy to touch us as you'll be partially in the same realm as us."_

"You kinda make it sound like you're going to put me in a coma or something," Harry drawled, looking completely unimpressed with Ignotus' plan.

_"Do not be ridiculous, Horatio. How will putting you in such a vulnerable state as a coma be in any way beneficial to you? No, you will just tie your soul even more tightly to Lord Beli and the afterlife. Physically you may look somewhat paler than you already do and your pulse will be slow to the point of barely existent, and you will be cold to the touch, but you will still be very much alive,"_  Ignotus snapped at him, apparently in no mood for Harrys histrionics.

"So I'll be like a human lizard? Fine. Let's do it. Not that I was going to say no. I mean, I'm all up for tying myself even more so to Lord Beli, so even if that had meant putting myself in a coma, I'd have still said yes. So when do we do this?"

_"In a few days time, I think. It's a ritual that has to be done just after sunset, so it'll have to be done either in Riddle Cemetery or another abandoned cemetery. It cannot be on hallowed ground either. Cadmus will go and search for a reasonable setting should be decide against Riddle Cemetery, and let you know on the day."_

"What knives and such will I need?"

_"Either your sapphire one or your aquamarine one. Either will work for what you need them to do. You should also take your silver candle and some willow branches. And your chalk as well. Do not worry though, you won't have to have a cleansing bath."_

"Thank Death for that. Speaking of, does He know I'll be doing this ritual?"

_"No, I'll be letting Him know before you do it though. Now, you should probably read up on the hieroglyphs in the text you took from our vaults. You'll be needing a few in the upcoming ritual,"_  Ignotus told him, narrowing his eyes when Harry sighed, making Harry hold back any complaints he may have made. Hieroglyphs were not something that came naturally to him. Well, drawing them at least. For some reason, his always looked like they'd been drawn by a blind toddler.

* * *

Ignotus glanced up from the cards he had in his hands - a deck that Harry had charged with death energy so that the Peverell's and his aunt could use them - when he sensed a presence appear in the room Harry was currently fast asleep in; Cadmus, across from him, also looking up from his cards. They both gave a silent gasp and stood to their feet when they noticed a tall, tanned man with short hair like their own and with a gold circlet resting on his head with a teardrop shaped sapphire hanging from it on his forehead. The man's clothing was reminiscent of Ancient Egyptians, with a short black wrap around his waist and a thick gold and blue belt that came to rest down the middle of it. He was bare-chested but had a short thin shawl-like garment around his shoulders in a golden material with a blue edge to it.

"My Lord! Has something happened? Is Harry still safe here?" Ignotus asked after giving a deep bow to his Lord, Death.

"Rest assured, Master Ignotus, my child is quite safe here for the time being. You and your brothers are doing a good job at watching over him. Though should you feel he needs my help, do no hesitate in calling for me. Especially with my brethren awakening," Beli told them, before looking away from the two spirits and walking to stand by Harry's bed.

"May I ask why you're here then, My Lord, if nothing urgent?" Cadmus asked, walking over to stand next to Ignotus, both watching Death stare at Harry with a fond expression.

"My Harry will be performing a very important ritual tomorrow night that will permanently tie him to me and will offer him even more protection from some of my less than tolerable brethren. He may need a little extra in this. I have come to give him something that will strengthen the ritual. He is Earl Peverell of Anglesey now, it is about time he is also recognised as a master necromancer," Beli told them without taking his eyes off of Harry, who was still fast asleep and completely unaware of who was in the room with him and the brothers.

"You think he is ready, My Lord?"

"I think he has no choice. But yes. I think he is ready. Your line is the only line of necromancers that ever strove to impress me. Why do you think your line was the last to be blessed by me before we erased the knowledge of necromancers from wizard memory? You Peverell's have always been my favourites. So yes, Harry is ready and he has my blessing," Beli told them before he turned to placed something on the bedside table next to Harry's bed and then shocked the two spirits watching when he leant over Harry, brushed the hair away from his face and bent down to press a kiss to Harry's forehead.

He straightened up and glanced at the two spirits, nodding his head to them before disappearing from the room.

* * *

_"Wake up, you lazy excuse for a necromancer!"_ Harry jerked awake when Antioch yelled in his ear, interrupting a fascinating dream he had been having about Lord Beli.

"Wha? Antioch? What the hell? I was having a nice dream! Lord Beli was in it and He was all nice and… why are you looking at me like that?" Harry asked, pouting when Antioch just raised an eyebrow before shaking his head and sneering at him.

_"You're an idiot."_

"Cheers. So why'd you wake me up? I don't have to perform the ritual until dusk!" Harry whined - not that he'd admit to it if asked.

_"Our Lord as seen fit to bless you with a gift."_

"Wait, what? What do you mean?"

_"I mean, last night He came to see you and He left you something to help you with the ritual later on tonight."_

"Seriously? He left me something! He was here! He saw me like this?!" Harry exclaimed, looking down at himself and then self-consciously patting his hair down, ignoring Antioch's disdainful stare burning into the side of his head.

_"When you've stopped preening. He saw you when you were nothing but a soul forming a body in your mother's womb. There is literally nothing He hasn't seen. So seeing you with drool down your face and hair like a startled scarecrow won't be anything new."_

"Thanks. That really made me feel better," Harry deadpanned, though he did stop messing with his hair and instead turned to face Antioch fully.

_"Do you not wish to know what He gave you?"_  Antioch asked him, reminding Harry of why he was feeling so self-conscious in the first place. Harry nodded his head eagerly and moved to crawl to the edge of the bed when Antioch pointed to his side table.

"What did he…?" Harry trailed off when he saw the bundle on the table. There was a small, three inch dagger made of a clear stone and a hematite handle and tied around it was a sprig of white heather with delicate yellow flowers mixed with it. "Wow."

_"It is made of purest diamond. You will find no fault in it. And the flowers can be either used in the ritual or you can dry them and add them to the next batch of chalks you will be making."_

"What do you recommend?" Harry asked in a small voice, slightly overwhelmed at the gift he'd been given and practically hugging it to his chest.

_"I would recommend saving it to use in your chalks. It will strengthen anything you do when using it. Just press it in a book for a while and then crush it when you need it. The dagger should definitely be used in the next ritual though. I would also carry it around everywhere if I were you as well. Someone would have to be suicidal to steal it from you."_

"I will…" Harry murmurd, smiling a little as he brushed a finger against the petals of the delicate flower in his hands, happy that Lord Beli clearly appreciated him to some extent.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N - So! Once again, sorry about the wait. Was the chapter worth it? Two gods! Two! Lol. Actually, I have no idea where Death/Lord Beli came from. He totally wasn't supposed to show up for a number of chapters yet. Little bugger totally ignores me! I have no control over these characters! XD
> 
> Beli showing up does give you a small insight on how He views His last necromancer (not that Harry is entirely aware of any of this yet). The meanings behind what he gave Harry also tells you (I mean He gave him a freaking three inch dagger made of a solid diamond…) Still, if you don't know, the meanings are thus:
> 
> Diamond - Purifies, scrying, intuition and meditation  
> Hematite - Grounding, clarifies thought, willpower and confidence  
> White Heather - Protection  
> Cinquefoil - Beloved Child
> 
> If you were wondering, Harry has a vast knowledge of the meaning behind many flowers and herbs, but he doesn't know them all. The cinquefoil meaning is one of them. He assumes it's a buttercup or something similar (which, amusingly, means childish… *snickers*)
> 
> Translation:
> 
> Thu cnaw me - You know me  
> Thu cnaw my name - You know my name  
> Thu cnaw who sceal feoght - You know who shall fight.
> 
> If you're savvy with the British Peerage, you'll know that the Anglesey Earldom no longer exists… well now you know why! *Snort* 
> 
> Fact of the chapter - If you go by canon, then both Mad Eye Moody and Dumbledore seemingly have better eyesight or magical senses than Death… given they can both see through Harry's invisibility cloak and Death Himself couldn't. Personally, I think Rowling didn't quite consider that when she made it possible for the two wizards to see through it… *snickers* 
> 
> Christmas Fact of the Chapter - I am now owner of three adorable tree frogs called Antioch, Cadmus and Ignotus! They're so cute! *Hugs* Happy Christmas (or whichsoever holiday you may be celebrating… or er… just happy yet another day in the calendar if you're not celebrating anything…)
> 
> (If you were wondering, during the 2012 London Olympics, every person that won a gold medal on Team GB got a post box in their home town painted gold. So given it's 2002 in this fic, Ignotus was getting a bit ahead of himself.)


	15. Chapter Fourteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I know. I suck. As an apology, see this as my Valentine's Day gift to all my wonderful readers! On the plus side, in this chapter you learn a few things that a couple of people have asked about in reviews. And one thing that no one even considered: how did Ignotus get married if he can't touch humans? *Grins* Read and find out.

Chapter Fourteen

Harry spent the remaining hours before having to leave to perform his ritual alternating between stroking the knife Lord Beli had given him and faffing about looking for the right book to press and dry his flowers in. He had also attempted to hug the knife as well, but learnt quickly that diamond is shockingly sharp and nearly garrotted himself. Much to the disdain of Antioch, who was so disgusted he disappeared, only to send Cadmus to 'watch over his idiotic arse and make sure he survived to actually perform the ritual that night.'

Harry is still adamant that Antioch was just jealous that he got a beautiful knife from Lord Beli and Antioch hadn't. Of course, when he said this to Cadmus, Cadmus pointed out that Antioch had been given an undefeated wand. Harry wisely refrained from pointing out that said gift had actually been the cause of Antioch's death. He really didn't want to go through another rant about thieves, liars and dirty scoundrels. Really, the rant got boring after a while.

Eventually though, the time finally came for Harry to make his way to Riddle Cemetery - they had all decided that he could just as well do the ritual there than anywhere else, and Antioch (the only one of them who actually had magic when he was alive) pointed out that given The Great Mother had recently blessed someone there, it would possibly even make the ritual stronger. He efficiently gathered all the items he would need for the ritual and then quickly made his way out of his room and through the manor, breathing a sigh of relief when he managed to somehow make his way to the exit without bumping into anyone.

"Where would be best?" Harry asked, looking around the small cemetery before turning to face Cadmus.

_"Tom Riddle Snr's grave would be best as you are most familiar with it and its owner,"_

"Technically speaking, does it have an owner? I mean, the dead can't own anything and I very much doubt the man's son would claim ownership of it. Though he has claimed ownership of the land, so hey! Maybe he's turned a new leaf in life and no longer wants to erradicate all muggle life from the planet," Harry said cheerfully, smile dimming a little when faced with Cadmus' unimpressed stare.

_"Yes. I imagine he's only moments away from actually declaring a burning passion for world peace and a love for kittens. Now, are you going to get on with the ritual or shall I inform our lord that you chickened out?"_

"No! Don't do that! I'm not chickening out!" Harry exclaimed in an embarrassingly high-pitched voice, before he pouted and threw a glare at Cadmus to back his words up, then turned and walked over to Tom Riddle's grave.

_"Before you begin, there is one thing you should know, Horatio."_  Harry turned to face Cadmus with a questioning look on his face, wondering why he had used his full (though technically not actual) name given Cadmus didn't tend to do so.

"Oh?" Harry asked him, watching Cadmus even as he knelt to the ground and started to take out all the items he would be using.

_"You know how you cannot touch any humans? And, of course, you are aware that there is a ritual you can perform should you ever decide to have a relationship that would negate those effects. However, performing this ritual means you will never be able to perform that ritual. You will never be able to touch another human being. Performing this ritual will mean that those effects will be enhanced. Not only will you feel every single one of their cells dying in one enhanced moment, but you'll also be able to know when they will die and should you still be touching them, you'll_ feel _how they die. Knowing this, Horatio, no one will fault you should you decide not to go through with it,"_ Cadmus told him in an uncharacteristically soft tone, placing a hand over Harry's shoulder.

Harry paused in taking out the last item, the diamond knife, and looked down at it in his hands, gently running a finger up and down the blade as he thought about Cadmus' words, "Ignotus didn't perform this ritual then. Did… did you?"

_"No. I had a wife. Antioch did, however. Alas, he was then killed about three months later so he never truly got to experience the full effects of the ritual. We can wait, we don't have to perform the ritual now. It was only because Antioch mentioned something that we realised you wouldn't know the cost of this ritual. If you need more time, then we can discuss it again at a later date."_

"But…" Harry trailed off and paused, not taking his eyes off the knife in his hands. "But if I do this, if I perform this ritual, you would be able to touch me whenever, right? And any of the dead? What about the gods? What about Lord Beli?"

_"Any immortal will be able to touch you. Gods do not have a planned death and the dead have already experienced theirs, so yes, they will be able to touch you without problem. We will be able to touch you whenever we wish to. You won't be completely isolated from touch. However, you're only twenty-two and you've never had a real relationship. Think hard on this, Harry, because if you do perform this ritual, you'll never be able to have one."_

"I'm a gay necromancer who constantly talks to the dead and has no concept of privacy, Cadmus. I've never truly thought I would ever have a relationship anyway. Who would want me? In the muggle world they think I'm schizophrenic and in the magical world they think I'm a squib. I'm a social outcast wherever I choose to go. Lord Beli is really the only being who has ever made me feel special and wanted. No,  _needed._ I'm going to perform the ritual, Cad. All my closest friends and family are dead. I don't need romance. I don't need physical touch and human contact. I need Lord Beli. I'll happily give up everything for Him because I know He would do the same for me should I ask of it," Harry said, clutching the knife tightly in his hand and looking up at Cadmus. "Now, tell me what I need to do."

_"Very well. You need to bleed to death, basically. However, whilst you are bleeding, you will need to write what you wish to gain from this ritual in hieroglyphs and push your death energy into each character. Should Lord Beli accept that your intentions are true and that you are worthy of Him - which He will, theres no doubt there - then you will be healed just before you pass over completely, ensuring that you keep half of your soul and He keeps the other half."_

"Sounds… messy. What's with the candle?" Harry asked, carefully placing the silver candle on top of a small bundle of willow twigs.

_"It should heighten your psychic presence and prevent you from panicking when your body realises it is dying. You need to cut your wrists, ankles and throat, though not too deeply. You don't want to bleed out before you've finished. That would defeat the object of the ritual. Light the candle, then you can start. I'd recommend starting with your ankles first and working up. That way, by the time you reach your throat, hopefully the candle will have done its job."_

"Right. So I just slit my wrists and throat, don't panic and hope for the best then, huh?" Harry muttered, lighting the candle. He then took his shoes and socks off and rolled up the legs of his jogging bottoms slightly. Taking a deep, calming breath, he picked up his knife again and then quickly sliced next to the vein in his ankle before moving on to the other foot. He then crossed his legs and brought his slightly shaking hand up, resting the blade on his arm.

_"It's better to slice across and not at the joint. That way you'll only nick the main artery, not slice it entirely. When you get to your throat, slice along the collarbone. That way you should bleed just about the right amount whilst you draw the hieroglyphs. It's best to just do it as steadily but as quickly as you can, according to Antioch,"_ Cadmus told him, moving around so that he was leaning against Tom Riddles gravestone and Harry could see him without turning.

"Right. Okay. I can do this. And hey, if I fail, then it'll just mean I die and that's not the worst thing that could happen, right?" Harry added cheerfully, taking another deep breath and then quickly slicing across each of his wrists, hoping that the lack of arterial spray was a good thing and meant he'd cut in just the right place. He then tightened his grip on the now bloody handle of his knife and brought it up to his neck. "I can do this. I can totally do this."

_"Yes, you can. Preferably before you bleed out."_

Throwing a quick glare at Cadmus for his completely unhelpful comment, Harry glanced at the candle - which really wasn't doing its job - and then just shut his eyes and dragged the blade across his throat.

_"Good. Now, you need to draw the hieroglyphs into the ground with the bloodied knife. Do you know what you'll be asking for?"_

"Yeah. Am I supposed to feel this light-headed?"

_"Given the amount of blood you're losing, then yes. Now, concentrate. You need to draw those hieroglyphs before it's too late. Lord Beli is, of course, keeping an eye on you and your lifeline, but it can get to a point when even He cannot bring you back. And in this ritual, He can't interfere until you've finished. So get drawing."_

"Right. Right," Harry nodded, before stopping with a groan when moving his head just made the world spin a little more. How he was supposed to draw legible hieroglyphs when he couldn't actually see beyond the large black spot forming in his eyes and couldn't feel his hand, he didn't know. Still, he huffed slightly then leant forward, blinking a little to clear his eyesight as much as he could, and then painstakingly started to draw.

As he finished each hieroglyph, he poured a bit more energy into it and then moved on to the next one, trying to ignore the feeling of his blood trickling down his chest and hands, and the itchy sticky feeling of the blood pooling and congealing around his feet and legs.

With each hieroglyph, the black spots grew larger and his concentration grew shorter, the death energy running through his veins spiked as the wants he was writing in the ground were acknowledged. As he began to feel more and more drowsy and he could practically hear his heartbeat slowing as it tried to pump too little blood around his body, he finished the final hieroglyph and dropped the knife on the floor. Sluggishly he looked up at where Cadmus was staring at him in concern, before he slumped and fell to the side.

"I don' feel sa grea', Cad." Speaking gave him the strange sensation that his tongue was five times too big for his mouth and he frowned, silently hoping that he didn't choke on it or all this bleeding would have been for nothing.

_"You're going to be fine, Horatio. Our Lord has heard your request and has granted it. You may feel a little off-balance once you start healing but that is due to half of your soul believing you're dead. He'll look after you. You can relax now. Your part of this is done. Just sleep. You know nothing can harm you here,"_  Cadmus told him, moving to kneel by Harry's head and surprising what little of Harry's conscious was aware by running his hands through his hair and actually touching him without Harry's help.  _"You can now claim to be a Master Necromancer, Harry. Our Lord has blessed you and gifted you with yet another bead. You should be proud."_

Harry's last thought before he passed out was not many people were told to be proud of essentially committing suicide and failing.

* * *

_"Thegn of Lord Beli."_  Harry opened his eyes that he hadn't known were closed when he heard a whisper of his title that the gods had seemingly given him when he'd started naming them, only to just see a grey misty fog swirling around him.

"Hello?"

_"Loc for the haeric star in the heofen."_

"Why?"

_"Thu sceal name us."_

"Where?"

_"The hwit clifs, the hyl of blud of those cwelled for their cyng._

"Who are you?"

_"I walcs through deop water to cum to thu."_

_"I bring liht in the darc."_

"When?"

_"Loc for the hearic star in the heofen."_  With that, a sense of freezing cold washed over him and he jerked awake with a gasp only to see all three Peverell brothers standing near his bed, looking down at him in concern.

"Wasn't I in the cemetery outside last night? How did I get here?" Harry asked, looking around him in confusion before turning his attention back to the Peverells.

_"About an hour after you collapsed, a Death Eater happened across you. He panicked and brought his lord to you. Lord Voldemort, upon finding you had seemingly tried to commit suicide; other than being unimpressed, ordered the Death Eater to take you back to your room and heal you should you need it. Luckily for you and the death eater, you didn't need it. Well, not in any way they could help at least,"_  Ignotus explained, a look of soft happiness on his face when he reached out and placed a hand on Harry's head without his hand going through him.

"He touched me?"

_"He mostly touched your clothed skin, though thankfully you were unconscious when he felt for your pulse so you did not feel any discomfort,"_  Ignotus told him, never moving his hand from where he was stroking Harry's hair with a small smile still on his face.

Harry smiled at Ignotus weakly, still feeling a little unsteady with the amount of blood he had lost and pressing into the hand stroking his hair a little. "So I guess I will be summoned to tell Lord Voldemort what that was all about. What should I tell him? Actually, how long was I unconscious for?"

_"About fourteen hours and given someone has come by your room every other hour or so to check that you're still alive, I imagine you will be taken to him the next time someone comes by and sees you're awake,"_  Antioch told him, he and Cadmus having moved to the table and chairs by the bed and were now playing cards.

"Great. So? What should I tell him?"

_"I suggest telling him a variation of the truth. Tell him that you were performing a ritual in order to contact your Lord. I imagine as soon as Lord Beli is mentioned to that man, his sense of self preservation will kick in and he'll leave you be. Of course, he is a wizard, so there's a chance the self preservation instinct has long since died,"_  Cadmus drawled, not hiding his thoughts of wizards in his tone and ignoring the affronted look Antioch sent him.

"Good point. Oh, I should probably tell you that I was visited in my dreams last night."

"Oh?"

"Yes. I believe by the god of the sea and the goddess of light, given by what they said and the fact they are to be named together."

_"Did they tell you where and when?"_

"That's where it gets a bit confusing. I know the where, that's Dover. I'm assuming where the first invasion of 1066 occurred. At least, that's what I'm assuming. I can't think of any other white cliffs that have had blood spilt on them. I just don't know when I should go."

_"Well, what did they say?"_

"When the haeric star is in the sky. What the hell does that mean? Since when has there been one on the way? I mean, that's something we can tell with science, now, right?"

_"Yes, technically it is now foreseeable. Though you haven't exactly kept on top of the muggle news since you have moved here, have you? Who knows if there is one on its way. Perhaps you should check? It'll give you a vague timeline at least."_ Harry nodded at the advice from Antioch, before they all turned to look when Severus appeared in the room, raising an eyebrow when he saw that Harry was now awake.

_"So you've woken up from your dunderheaded move to commit suicide? It's really quite clear in moments like these just how you're related to your equally moronic brother,"_  Severus drawled, which made Harry frown in confusion and turn to look at Ignotus - who had stopped stroking Harry's hair but hadn't moved his hand from his head - in question.

"Doesn't he know what I was doing?"

_"Apparently not."_

_"Yes, well, whatever the reason, that is not why I'm here. I came to check on you and to warn you that there is another death also on his way to check on you. Given you are awake, I imagine he will take you to see Lord Voldemort."_

"Right, well when I go to Voldemort, Cadmus and Antioch can explain what it was I did exactly. Given Antioch has done the same thing, he is probably the best to explain it. Do you know which death eater is coming to get me?"

_"The young Flint volunteered to come once again."_

"Marcus? At least a friendly face is coming then. Ignotus, will you be coming with me?"

_"Of course. Given you haven't fully recovered, we will not be leaving you alone for a while,"_ Ignotus stated just as Marcus walked into the room and smiled slightly upon see Harry sitting up in the bed.

"You're awake! That's great. How are you feeling?" He asked Harry, moving further into the room and making Severus grumble about ignorant fools when he unknowingly walked through the spirit.

"I'm fine. Nothing some food and perhaps some orange juice won't cure. I'm guessing your Lord will want to see me now that I'm awake?" Harry asked, grinning when Marcus just shrugged and then nodded.

"Yeah, he did tell me to bring you to him should you be awake. So are you feeling up to going to see him or shall I tell him that you're still unconscious?"

"No, no. Might as well get it over with," Harry said with a sigh, shuffling to get off the bed when Ignotus moved from his side, though he stayed hovering when Harry finally stood up and felt all the blood rush from his head, leaving him slightly lightheaded. Blinking a couple of times, he sent both Marcus and Ignotus a reassuring smile before glancing down and seeing he was still wearing his now blood-soaked clothing from the night before. "Um…"

"Would you like to change first?"

"Nah, I'll go like this. It'll be amusing to shock anyone we pass by looking like a murder victim. Or possibly a murderer, considering I'm not actually dead."

"Given how pale you are, you kind of look like you've been raised from the dead," Marcus pointed out with a raised eyebrow in silent question. Harry just shrugged though and grinned widely.

"True. Well, shall we go?" Harry asked moving forward as though to leave the room and then looking at Marcus, who jerkily stepped forward and then led him towards Voldemort's office.

Much to Harry's amusement, they did pass a couple of death eaters walking through the hallways on the way. Those they passed all paused mid-step to stare at Harry in horror and Harry snickered to himself each time. Eventually though, they arrived at the office and after Marcus knocked, Voldemort called out on the other side of the door and Marcus opened it for Harry and led him inside.

"Ah, Mr Waterhouse. You're awake I see. Take a seat," Voldemort told him, motioning to the seat in front of his desk. Harry exchanged a look with Ignotus, before sitting on the seat, relaxing as soon he felt Ignotus' hand on his shoulder.

"I hear you found me last night and brought me to my room? Er… thanks for that, I guess."

"Indeed I did. Now, would you kindly tell me why you chose to kill yourself in my cemetery? If you wished to end your life, you really only had to ask me," Voldemort drawled, making Harry gape at him.

"The evil overlord thing just comes naturally to you, doesn't it?" Harry muttered, rolling his eyes. "Thank you for the er… offer? But I wasn't actually trying to kill myself. I was performing a ritual that basically needed me to almost die. I was contacting my Lord, it's easier to speak to Him when your soul is about to cross over."

"So you weren't intending to die?"

"No and I wasn't in any risk of doing so," Harry said, only stretching the truth marginally, "He would not have allowed me to die. However, the things that were with me, where are they now?"

"Ah, you mean the intriguing dagger you had in your hand?" Voldemort asked him, eyes glinting slightly and making Harry narrow his own at him suspiciously.

"Yes. Especially the dagger. I noted it wasn't anywhere near me when I woke up."

"I looked at that dagger and I found the most incredible thing about it. It seems the blade is actually made of the purest diamond. How, exactly, would a mere baker come across such a thing and more importantly, how did you afford it?"

"It was a gift. I'm assuming you have it then? I would very much appreciate it if you would give it me back," Harry said through gritted teeth, truly hoping the man across from him did not try to keep it. It wouldn't end well for him if he did.

"You have a very good friend who would give you such a thing. Tell me, exactly, what incentive I have to give it back to you? Indeed, how would a squib such as yourself even get me to give it back to you."

"It's not me you need to worry about. Who do you think would give me that? Who do you think could make such a thing? My Lord gave me that dagger and if you really want to continue existing, it really would be in your best interest to give it me back. He won't be happy with you if you don't," Harry pointed out, grinning when Voldemort stared at him for a second before opening a drawer in his desk and pulling the dagger out.

"Death gave you this?"

"He did. Why do you think I used that to call Him to me? It's connected to us both. If you used it in anyway, I can guarantee it would turn on you. Well, that is, if you actually managed to used it before He caught up with you and totally erased your soul from any plane of existence. So? Can I have my dagger back please?"

"You make a valid point, Mr Waterhouse. Here, take it back. And I would prefer if you told me before hand of anymore rituals you may perform on my property. Now, leave me. I have work to do," Voldemort told him as he slid his dagger over the desk to Harry, sounding as though it was all Harry's idea to come and bother him in his office in the first place. Harry just huffed, rolling his eyes as he grabbed his dagger and held it close to him.

"I'll be sure to let you know should I need use of your cemetery. Actually, while I'm here, I might as well inform you that I'll be celebrating Samhain there at the end of this month. Though there won't really be any ritual bloodshed of any sort, so no need to worry about any dead bodies littering the ground come the morning," Harry added as he stood up, Voldemort just stared at him blankly for a second before sighing and nodded his head, then waving him out of the room.

"That is fine. I'll make sure to let my death eaters know not to disturb you then. Now, please leave."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm going," Harry muttered, before finally leaving the room with Ignotus and Marcus close behind him. Harry was just relieved that getting his dagger back was so easy and painless. Not what he had been expecting to be completely honest.

* * *

"Hello, Harry, where are you off to in such a hurry? Shouldn't you still be resting? The Death Eater that found you, Nott, said that you had lost a lot of blood." Harry stopped where he was when he heard Marcus' inquiry and turned around to face his Death Eater friend.

"Marcus! Hi! How's it been? And I'm fine, by the way. It was all part of the plan. My Lord would not let me die.  _That_  isn't part of the plan. So? Up to much? I haven't really seen much of you recently," Harry said, smiling brightly at Marcus, who gave him a small smile in return.

"I've been going on a few missions for my lord. I am one of the few Death Eaters with status in the wizarding world who isn't known as one. The Flints are thought to be dark, but we haven't been caught as Death Eaters, therefore my father and I are free to go to Wizengamot meetings as such. So you never answered my first question, where are you going in such a hurry?" Marcus asked him, moving a little closer to him, which made Harry nervously play with his newly acquired pair of glove and tug his jumper sleeve down a little.

"Oh! Right. Well, Barty is back from wherever Voldieboots sent him, so I'm going to go meet him and see if he wants to hang out for a bit! A house elf thing told me he could be found in his rooms. Want to come with?" Harry asked him, mentally wondering why Marcus' smile became a little more strained when Barty was mentioned. He hadn't been aware of any friction between the two.

"No, I think I'll pass. Do you think we could talk later? I need to ask you something?" Marcus said, losing the disgruntled look and instead starting to look anxious, which grabbed Harry's attention immediately.

"Oh? Well, I don't have anything planned for after I've been with Barty and tomorrow is free as well. What did you want to ask me?" Harry asked, though he wasn't really expecting an answer, given Marcus had asked to see him privately.

"I just have something to ask you. I can wait until you're free though. I'm going to be busy until after Halloween though after today, so I'll see you then. Have a good time with Barty," Marcus told him before walking away back down the hallway. Harry frowned as he watched him walk away before shrugging and turning back to go to Barty's room.

* * *

Marcus scowled to himself as he walked away from Harry, mentally cursing himself for not taking Harry up on his offer. At least that way he would have known what they were doing and whether or not Barty had initiated a courting request with Harry. He also mentally cursed his Lord for sending him away for the next week, as he wouldn't be able to initiate his own with Harry until the next month now. Hopefully he wouldn't be too late though and Harry would accept. Even Marcus' father had agreed that a necromancer would be a good addition to their family. Even more so now that his bloodline had been discovered.

* * *

The day before Samhain arrived and Harry made his way to the cemetery - after first informing Voldemort what he would be doing and promising that there would be no bloodshed.

He had spent most of the day talking to the Peverell's and making sure that everything was prepared for tomorrows ritual and celebrations. And being reassured that he had their Lord's backing. He had then made quick visits to the gravesites of each spirit who had given him their bones for his scrying before returning back to his room in the manor.

Stepping out of the manor, Harry made his way to the graves he was most familiar with and had spent most of his life around since he was eleven and began to walk past each and everyone. As he did, he paused by each headstone and laid a hand on it, silently asking for the owners help and backing. And each time he did, he felt a reassuring way of energy flow through him.

By the time he'd reached the last grave, the one he used the most and the one he had recently bled over - possibly the thing that annoyed Voldemort the most, now that Harry thought about it - he was feeling slightly high on all the blessings and was grinning like a loon.

_"It's about time you decided to come and visit me after you nearly lost your life over my final resting place."_  Harry looked up at Tom Riddle's drawl and smiled happily at him, holding out his hand to shake it.

"I can touch you now. I've never really given you my energy to do so. After all these years of using your grave, I believe a handshake really is the least I owe you," Harry admitted when Tom had looked at his hand in confusion. Upon hearing Harry's explanation however, Tom gave him a rare and genuine smile before taking his hand in a firm grip and shaking it.

_"I've watched you grow into this role, I'll be interested to see what changes you bring to this world now, Master Necromancer."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N - So… was it good? Worth the wait? I really am sorry about that. Winter just is not a good time of the year for me and my shoddy immune system (actually, summer sucks as well due to my hayfever). I really do hope the chapter made up for the long wait!
> 
> Seriously though, not one person ever asked me how two of the Peverell's got married and one of them had kids. I mean, it's out right mentioned by Harry that he can't touch anyone without feeling discomfort at least. *Snickers* Ah well, if you did wonder, now you have your question. And fear not, it won't be all angsty because Harry can't touch anyone anymore. I seem to be unable to write angst. Plus, Harry is now tied permanently to his idol. He's certainly not going to be complaining to anyone. Heh. 
> 
> Well, let me know what you think! The next chapter is Samhain! Yay! Oh and if you were wondering. There were at least two different invasions during 1066 by two different kings. That is why William the Conqueror won. Well, that and the fact at the time those living in England were mainly farmers and thus untrained for fighting. Also, Marcus called Samhain Halloween because I've never been down with the wizarding world calling it Samhain. Halloween isn't a religious festival, but Samhain is. Why would a non-religious world celebrate a religious festival? Ignoring that they seemingly celebrate Christmas and Easter in canon. Though going from that, if any religion is followed, it's Christianity. Something Samhain certainly isn't a part of. *Shrugs* My thoughts on it anyway. (Poor Marcus though, huh? *Grins* It'll be amusing to see Harry's reaction to his question though.)
> 
> Translations:
> 
> "Loc for the haeric star in the heofen." Look for the hairy star (literal translation, refers to a comet) in the heaven
> 
> "Thu sceal name us." You shall name us
> 
> "The hwit clifs, the hyl of the blud of those cwelled for their cyng." The white cliffs, the hill of the blood of those killed for their king.
> 
> "I walcs through deop water to cum to thu." I walk through deep water to come to you.
> 
> "I bring liht in the darc." I bring light in the dark.
> 
> Fact of the Chapter: The use of the word guinea pig in reference to experimental subjects alleged comes from the fact that in the early days of aviation crash investigation, they would throw guinea pigs from a plane where a crash had happened over water and where they landed was roughly where they would likely find remains. No joke. On that note, crash dummies used to be actual dead bodies that had been donated for that purpose. Yes, yes I do read weird books. *Grins*


	16. Chapter Fifteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick note. I've recently had a couple of reviews (that I couldn't reply too… grr) moaning that it's slash. Please, go have a look at the prologue. See where it says warning, and then directly after that, it says SLASH? Yeah, there's your warning. Also, Antioch had wizarding magic, hence being able to use a wand. Harry is a squib, as were Cadmus and Ignotus. They were born to wizarding parents though.

Chapter Fifteen

If anyone had been looking for Harry on the morning of Samhain, they would have found him sitting on the floor in the kitchen, out of the way of the house elves that gave him to heebie jeebies. He was patiently sitting there, hollowing out and carving several pumpkins and turnips, his tongue sticking out the corner of his mouth as he concentrated on making different weird faces for each one. There was a pile of completed ones to the side of him, showing that he'd been there for a while and he still had a fair few to get through.

Harry placed the turnip he had just finished on the floor next to him and then placed the knife he'd been using down before stretching his back, pushing his hands into the base of his spine and giving a groan of relief when he felt it click back into place.

When he had finished the final pumpkin, he looked up to see the house elves looked to be finishing dinner for whatever Death Eaters happened to be staying at the manor that day - using the pumpkin seeds and turnip that Harry had discarded, he noticed - and looked at his watch. He was a little stunned when he saw that it was past five in the afternoon.

Hurriedly standing up - and wincing when the blood rushed back into his legs and gave him the worst pins and needles he'd ever experienced - he nudged the pumpkins and turnips to the side and then walked up to what he thought was the head house elf, though he wasn't too sure on that.

"Hey! Can I just leave those over there while I get changed? I'll come back for them in about thirty minutes, if that's okay. Ooh! And did you say it was okay to have a saucer of milk and a bowl of sugar cubes?"

"Master Lord be saying we's can give Little Lord Death Speaker what he's be needing. You's be leaving them and getting them when you's be needing them. We's not be touching them."

"Er… right. So that's a yes, right? Good," Harry said with a small nod of his head, wondering if it would be a faux pas to point out that technically he was an Earl, not a Lord. Deciding to not start an argument with a house elf - he wasn't entirely sure he'd win anyway - Harry wisely just walked away and left the kitchen.

As he had told the house elves, thirty minutes later and Harry was walking back to the kitchens, this time dressed in an Egyptian style black wrap with a silver belt hanging loosely on his hips, and he had a long, flowing black cloak over his shoulders. His face was covered with white, grey and black paints, making it look like his skull was showing through his skin and he had tied a thin strip of black lace over his eyes. The ends of which were hanging down his back with a silver bell attached to each end. He ignored all the strange looks he received from any Death Eaters he passed - given what they wore on a daily basis, Harry felt they really had no place to judge.

Once he'd collected as many of the pumpkins as he could carry - which wasn't many, given how big they were - he made his way back up the stairs to the top floor and then placed a pumpkin in each window of the hallway, lighting a small tea light in each one. For every floor, Harry placed a pumpkin in the hallway windows, lighting a tea light in each one. Finally, he placed the two largest pumpkins on each side of the front door, then placed the saucer of milk and bowl of sugar cubes next to the pumpkin on the left, given most people seemed to enter using the right door. He really hoped no one spilt the milk.

When all of that was done, Harry then went back to the kitchens and collected all the turnips, which the house elves kindly put into a sack for him - why they didn't do that with the pumpkins, Harry didn't dare ask - and then returned back outside and headed for the cemetery.

There, he went around each grave and placed a turnip on each one, leaving Tom Riddle's grave until last. When he reached Tom's grave, Harry lit the candle in the turnip and then sat down on the floor and took his pouch with the bones in from his belt, then poured the bones out into his hand.

"Family and friends who gave me your bones, come join me tonight on the night of Our Lord, to celebrate with me and share in my energy," Harry whispered, shivering a little when those he had called to him arrived before him with wide smiles on their faces. "Hi!"

_"Happy birthday, Horatio,"_ Ignotus said with a smile on his face as he hugged Harry, before being shoved to the side by Cassandra.

_"My little Harry is all grown up! And I can finally hug you properly! I'm so proud of you!"_  Cassandra gushed, before tugging him into a tight hug that left Harry wheezing and gasping for breath a little.

"I'm glad to see you all here! Agrippa, it's still alright for me to bring you a visitor tonight, right?"

_"Of course it is! Perhaps you could give me a little boost of energy so that I can interact with him?"_  Agrippa asked him with a wide smile. Harry just looked at him before shrugging and looking at Ignotus.

"Er… can I do that?"

_"You can, in theory, yes. Do you trust your brother not to use Agrippa or tell people that you can do this? Remember, you did not do something similar with Barty. Do you trust Charlus in this case?"_

"Well, it's not like he could use him against me without telling people where he is, so yeah. I trust him. I mean, I trust him anyway, but in this case it would also be bad for him to do anything," Harry said with a shrug, biting on his lip a little before looking at Ignotus.

_"Well, in that case, do as you see fit. Now, shall we celebrate the night?"_

* * *

Hours later, Harry's watch gave a quiet beep to tell him that it was now midnight, and Harry glanced at the spirits before him. They all, bar Ignotus, disappeared back to where they had been before Harry had called for them, no longer taking any of his energy. Harry then smudged the make up on his face and slowly stood up, wincing as his legs regained feeling.

Shaking out his legs a little, Harry then moved around the cemetery and carefully lit the tea lights inside all the turnips on the graves - other than the one he had already lit - before moving back to Tom Riddle's grave and giving silent thanks to Lord Beli.

"Ah, my little necromancer." Harry's head shot up at the quiet whisper and his eyes widened when he saw Lord Beli standing in front of him. Quickly coming to his senses, Harry dropped to his knees and bowed his head.

"My Lord! Er… welcome?" Harry winced a little; having a pretty good idea of the glare Ignotus was sending him at his inelegant response to their lord.

"You don't have to kneel in my presence, little one. Stand, I have a gift for you," Lord Beli told him, voice smooth and deep, and making Harry silently wonder if he would be able to stand up given his legs felt like jelly.

He made a valiant effort though and weakly stood in front of the being that he had idolised since Ignotus had been preparing him for his necromantic duties at the age of ten.

"A… umm… a gift?" Harry stammered. He could feel his face heating up as his face turned cherry red with a bright blush and he silently wondered why he couldn't be cool and collected in front of the one being who he actually cared what He thought of him.

"Yes, you gave up a lot just to be close to me, though you may not realise just how much yet. However, you have done everything I ever asked of you and more, and not once have you truly expected anything in return from me. I feel now, on the first birthday after you have reached Master Necromancer status, that I should give you something that acknowledges everything you do for me. This, Horatio, is for you," Lord Beli told him, elegantly swiping his hand down and making a sharp khopesh sword appear in it, wrapped in black silk with a thick gold sash tied around the silk.

Harry shakily took the sword from Lord Beli when it was offered to him, and then felt his breath catch in his throat when Lord Beli reached forward and cupped his cheek with His hand.

"You make me very proud, my child, never forget that," Lord Beli whispered to him before he leant forward and pressed a kiss to Harry's head. Harry just stared in stunned silence as Lord Beli then smiled at him before vanishing.

_"Well, never let it be said that you're not His favourite. I never got a gift. And really, do you think you could stop looking like such an uneducated fool? At least close your mouth. Anything could take up residence in there,"_  Ignotus drawled, though Harry didn't really pay all that much attention to what he was saying. He did, however, close his mouth, which Ignotus thought was something at least.

* * *

A while later found Harry somewhat calmed down from his unexpected visit and gift - Harry and Ignotus both agreed not to mention the mini breakdown he had to anyone.

_"Do you not think you should be thinking about collecting Charlus and taking him to Agrippa now?"_ Ignotus asked him, jolting Harry out of the daydream he had been in as he stared at the sword in his hands.

"Lord Beli does know I have no idea how to use this, right?"

_"Probably not. After all, the last time He made necromancers, boys were taught how to wield a sword at a young age. Still, I'm sure He has every faith in you and expects that you won't kill yourself with it at least,"_ Ignotus drawled, rolling his eyes when Harry huffed and pouted a little.

"You could at least have said that in a way that didn't sound like you expected me to do just that! I'm not that clumsy! I mean, sure, I did trip over once and somehow land on a fork, but I'm pretty sure that was some sort of mystical prank or something," Harry admitted with a small frown, rubbing his chest when the fork had stabbed him when he was fourteen.

_"Yes, I'm sure. Now, make a gate so that we can collect your brother, then you can give Agrippa form so he can keep Charlus company,"_  Ignotus told him, making Harry realise what exactly he had to do.

Harry nodded silently, then moved to a flat headstone next to Tom Riddles elaborate one - not the best to draw runes on - and silently thanked Ranulph for the use of his headstone, before he cut open his finger on his ever present diamond dagger and drew the required runes on the headstone. Once the gate was open, Harry quickly motioned Ignotus to go through first before following behind him and closing the gate once he'd stepped through.

"Is Charlus here yet?" Harry asked, rubbing his arms a little to try and keep some warmth into them and silently wondering just what the first necromancers were smoking when they decided on the Samhain clothing. Who wore a thin cloak and short sarong in October in  _England_? He was just lucky it hadn't started snowing.

Not that it normally snowed in October. Still, Harry wouldn't be surprised if one year it did.

_"He should be here in a minute or two,"_ Cadmus told him as he appeared before them and unknowingly answering Harry's question.

"That's good, I'm freezing my balls off here," Harry muttered, shivering and rubbing his arms even more to try and keep warm.

"Harry?" At the sound of Charlus quietly calling his name, Harry perked up and walked over to where he could just about make out the silhouette of Charlus standing.

"Charlie? You ready to go? Do you have everything you might need with you?" Harry asked him, once he could actually see Charlus more clearly and was certain it actually  _was_  his brother and not a complete stranger.

"Harry?! Yeah, yeah, I've got everything I'll need. How are we going to get there?" Charlus asked him, hitching the bag he'd brought with him further up his shoulder as he looked at Harry expectantly.

"A gateway that I'll make. I've got permission from Lord Beli to allow you safe passage through it," Harry explained as he led Charlus further into the cemetery in Exeter, towards the older graves found there.

"Right… who's Lord er… Baylin?"

"Beli, no n at the end. And He's Death. My master and boss, so to speak. Without His permission, you wouldn't be able to safely pass through the gate and would probably die. Maybe. To be honest, I'm still not entirely sure what would happen to you. I get the impression it wouldn't be pleasant though," Harry admitted with a shrug, ignoring the slightly hysterical giggle Charlus gave behind him.

"Oh right. Glad I've got His permission then," Charlus muttered, voice slightly higher than normal.

"This one should do," Harry said suddenly, coming to a stop before a large, sturdy looking headstone and kneeling in front of it. "So, I'll open the gate, then take your hand and lead you through it. No matter what happens, don't let go of my hand. You don't want to get lost in there either. Ready?"

"Yeah, ready when you are," Charlus muttered, sounding anything but ready if Harry were asked, but he wasn't going to question him. They didn't really have time anyway.

Shrugging off Charlus' clear discomfort, Harry cut open another finger on his hand and carefully drew out the runes required for a gate with a living passenger following behind him. Runes that Harry, before now, had never actually needed to use and had only actually learnt when he'd first had the idea to hide Charlus. With a sound of a vacuum being filled, the gate was ready and Harry stood up to face Charlus.

"Ready?"

"Yeah…"

"Just remember, don't let go of my hand and you'll be fine," Harry told him, holding out his hand for Charlus to take, which he did with no hesitation, bringing a smile to Harry's face at the show of trust. "Might be a good idea to take a deep breath. Ignotus? Cadmus? Do you want to go through first?"

The two spirits, who had been silently watching the interaction of the two brothers, nodded their heads and then stepped through the gate, leaving Harry alone with Charlus.

Giving the hand in his a quick squeeze to reassure him, Harry then tugged Charlus through the gate, hearing Charlus gasp behind him as he stepped into Charon's realm. Harry quickly moved through the Spirit Roads with ease, tightening his hold on Charlus' hand when he felt his brother stumble a little behind him, and felt relieved when he reached the second half of his gate and stepped through it, tugging Charlus behind him.

He gently nudged Charlus to lean against a tomb wall next to the tombstone they had walked through, and closed the gate quickly before turning his attention back to his slightly pale brother.

"You alright, Charlie?" Harry asked, nibbling on his lip and hoping he hadn't done something wrong with the runes. That would be awkward.

"Yeah, just… give me a second. That was… different," Charlus told him with a wince, clearly recalling what he'd just done.

"It does take a couple of goes to get used to. At least you didn't get lost! I did the first time I used a gate. Took Antioch three hours to find me and lead me back to the second half of my gate. It was really embarrassing," Harry admitted with a sheepish grin, looking around him at where they had appeared and noticing a small castle - really, there was no other word to describe it, what other building had  _turrets_? - Behind a large stone wall to the right of the cemetery they were in. "Do you think that is Agrippa's home?"

"I hope so. If it's not, then the tomb I'm leaning on is, because there isn't anything else that looks habitable around here," Charlus muttered, looking a little less pale than he had moments before. Harry grinned at him and then looked around for Cadmus and Ignotus, neither of which were anywhere to be seen, which was annoying.

"Well, should we head towards the castle? Hopefully a Peverell or Agrippa will appear before me to tell us that we're heading in the right direction some time soon."

"Lead on then, you're the one who can actually see people around here to help. I'm just following your lead," Charlus said with a grin, waving a hand for Harry to move.

Harry glanced at him one last time, before nodding and heading towards the castle, navigating through the headstones with ease and ignoring the whispers of the owners of said graves. It wasn't hard, they were all speaking Gallic, and as much as Harry could speak it, he really wasn't good at it.

_"Young Horatio! You're here! And this handsome young man must be your brother, Charlus! Glad you both made it in one piece! Now, follow me and I'll lead you to the living quarters! I've had house elves looking after the place for centuries, so it'll still be nice and clean!"_ Agrippa told him cheerfully, having appeared as soon as they had walked through the intimidating black cast-iron gates.

"Hi, Agrippa! Do the house elves know we're coming? They're not going to chase us out, are they?"

_"They shouldn't. No one can even find this castle without permission from me, so that should be proof enough that you are allowed here. Will you be allowing me to take corporeal form?"_

"Yeah, I will. I'll give you the energy to do so once we've reached Charlie's rooms, then I can introduce you both," Harry said, glancing behind him to Charlus and grinning when he saw Charlus looking slightly confused.

"Er… who are you going to introduce me to?"

"Agrippa. I can give him some of my death energy to give him form, so he'll sort of appear like one of the cowards that inhabits Hogwarts and other old magical buildings. He can leave and go back to the afterlife whenever he chooses though as he didn't reject his own death. You won't be able to touch him, but at least this way you'll have someone to talk to," Harry explained as he and Charlus followed Agrippa into the castle and both came to a stop in the entrance hall.

"Whoa."

"Yeah…" Harry agreed, looking wide-eyed around him at the grand stone hall with extravagant tapestries hanging on the walls depicting the many battles of the past. "This is… quite something, Agrippa."

_"It is, isn't it? I never liked those garish moving portraits that other wizards seemed to love. Who wants to speak to a memory? No thank you. I much prefer these beautiful tapestries. Now, your brother will be staying in the north tower. It is the most welcoming and is where my own rooms were. Follow me and I'll take you to them,"_ Agrippa told them - well, Harry - before leading them towards a staircase leading to the right of the building.

"He say's you'll be staying in the north tower, which is where he stayed when he lived here. Oh, and there are still house elves around, so you won't starve or have to live in squalor, which is totally something I didn't consider when I made this plan. Did you?"

"Honestly? No. Good thing there are house elves, huh? So I'm going to be staying in Agrippa's personal tower? You know, my whole life I've been surrounded by some really weird shit, but I never ever thought I would be staying in Agrippa's hidden castle." Charlus told him with a grin, as the two walked through the hallways of the castle, absently taking note of the extravagant tapestries hanging on the walls as they passed.

It didn't take long before Agrippa came to a stop at a heavy looking wooden door and turned to face them.

_"This door leads to the rooms in the north tower. There is a small living quarters with a sitting room, two bedrooms, a bathroom and a study with a connecting door to my personal library on the first floor. Your brother can stay in them. They should be large enough for him and of course he can explore the castle and grounds whenever he wishes,"_ Agrippa told them, getting a bright smile from Harry before he pushed the door open.

"Agrippa says your rooms will be on this floor, I'm assuming behind that door," Harry said, pointing to the one door on the small hallway just before some stone steps led up to the next floor.

"Let's go have a look then!" Charlus said excitedly, walking up the door and cautiously pushing it open, then stepping through it. "Whoa! Harry! Come look!"

Harry glanced at Agrippa before following behind Charlus into the room and grinning at the awed look on Charlus' face. Not that he didn't understand the awe. The room was quite grand looking, with warm blue furniture and gold accents, and more tapestries on the walls - though these depicting different magical creatures, both still existent and extinct.

"Okay! So, now that we're here, I should probably give Agrippa some energy and then head back to Voldie-boots before he starts hunting me down," Harry said, interrupting Charlus' explorations and looking to an excited looking Agrippa.

"This is so weird," Charlus muttered to himself as he watched Harry, who had placed his hands on Agrippa's shoulders and was focusing on pushing energy into Agrippa.

"Did it work?" Harry finally asked after a couple of minutes, stepping back from Agrippa and looking at Charlus, who was gaping at them.

"Yeah, if you meant for there to be a ghost in front of you. It totally worked," Charlus told him, nodding his head without actually taking his eyes off of Agrippa.

"Great! Never done that before. Well, Charlie, this is Agrippa! Agrippa, this is my big brother, Charlus! I'll leave you two to get to know each other! I really need to get going though, I've been gone long enough now that I think people will start to notice. I'll try to visit when I can though! And if there is any important information that you might need to know, then Agrippa will tell you about it!" Harry told them with a smile, slowly backing out of the room as he did so. Charlus turned to look at him and sent him a wide smile.

"Thanks for doing this for me, Harry. Visit me when you can and stay safe, okay?"

"I will, Charlie. Speak to you later! See you, Agrippa!" Harry called over his shoulder before he quickly made his way out of the castle and back to the cemetery to return to Riddle Manor.

* * *

When a nervous house elf appeared in front of him and told him that the 'Little Lord Death Speaker' wanted a bowl of sugar cubes and a saucer of milk, and was currently carving pumpkins and other root vegetables in his kitchen, Voldemort would admit to anyone that he was partly curious but mostly exasperated. More and more often since he'd granted the annoyance protection, he had found himself wondering why and how one small person could be such a menace to society.

However, that day, Voldemort realised that he didn't actually have anything planned - having decided it would make the wizarding world as a whole more twitchy and on edge were nothing to happen on Halloween - so he decided to sate his curiosity and basically spy on his resident necromancer.

If for no other reason than to find out what he did when he thought no one was watching, and to see if he could find any reason, at all, even a tiny almost insignificant one, that backed up his decision to let the necromancer live - other than annoying Death, which admittedly was a rather large and valid reason. He at least wanted to know if the necromancer really was useful or if he was just a waste of food and resources.

Voldemort was beginning to bet on the latter.

So it was, that throughout the day, Voldemort used his link to Nagini - something neither one was particularly fond of, he had considered making his familiar into a second horcrux, but the life expectancy of snakes was considerably lower than that of a human so it seemed rather redundant all things considered - to see what Peverell was doing. And wasn't that annoying. The irritating little squib was the heir to the Peverell's. A magicless non-human was heir to the most prestigious and respected family in the wizarding world. No one could deny that the fates had a sense of humour, he supposed.

For most of the day, Voldemort noticed that Peverell didn't do much other than make a nuisance of himself to his house elves and carve vegetables - why he was doing that, Voldemort had no idea. It seemed a very muggle thing to do and something that Salazar forsaken muggle-lover Dumbledore would partake in. When he wasn't plotting the lives of everyone around him that was.

It was only after the sun had set that things changed. Once all the vegetables had been carved, Voldemort watched as Peverell made sure he could have the required sugar cubes and milk - Voldemort didn't want to know, he really didn't - and then he grabbed some pumpkins and left the kitchen.

Upon leaving the kitchen, Voldemort made use of his wards set into the walls of the hallways that let him see anything happening in them and watched the strange little necromancer place a pumpkin in each window, lighting candles in each one, until he had finished and had only two - the largest, Voldemort noted - left. Now, much to his annoyance, Voldemort really was quite curious, because there was nothing to Peverell's actions that said he was just randomly doing these things, which meant there had to be a reason behind it all.

A shudder went down Voldemort's spine for a second as he realised that the insane squib actually showed methodical skills. The world really was doomed.

He then turned his attention back to Peverell in time to witness him place the last two pumpkins on the doorstep, with the sugar and milk next to the pumpkin least likely to be knocked over. Clearly there was a reason for it all and Voldemort was determined to find out what.

After Peverell had done that and had collected all the turnips, which his house elves had clearly kindly placed into an old potato sack for him, Voldemort moved to his window that overlooked the cemetery and watched Peverell place turnips on each grave before lighting the one on the grave of his father and sat down.

It rankled Voldemort a little that Peverell seemed to have such a predilection for the grave of his disgusting muggle father - and was seemingly in fairly regular contact with the man as well - but there wasn't actually anything he could do about it. Much to his great displeasure.

As he was watching, to him nothing much seemed to be happening though he didn't think that meant anything as Peverell could hear and see those that no one else could, so for all he knew, they were having a pleasant tea party. Another thing he wouldn't put past the strange squib. So instead of trying to work out what was happening, Voldemort decided to focus on what he could  _see_.

The first thing he wondered was what on earth Peverell was wearing. To Voldemort, Peverell looked like he'd been starved for weeks on end, and the skin on his face was paper thin, showing every bone underneath it. It sort of reminded Voldemort of a voodoo priest he had met in his youth in New Orleans, but somehow Peverell came across even more sinister. None of this, however, tied in with the Ancient Egyptian style wrap and belt he was wearing, nor the cloak that wouldn't have looked out of place on a dementor, and he honestly had no idea what to think of the ribbon tied around Peverell's eyes. Though he did think the bells were there just to be annoying. Really though, Voldemort could think of nothing that would call for such a get up. But then he hadn't even heard of necromancers as a race until a few months before so he couldn't exactly claim to be an expert on them either.

It was at around midnight that there was a build up of magic that alerted Voldemort to something changing, and he turned his attention back to the cemetery to witness Harry seemingly smudging the paint on his face before a man - not much taller than Peverell and wearing similar clothing, though with gold and blue accents instead of silver, and with the same hair style. Though Voldemort could clearly see that the man had a gold circlet on his head with some sort of design at the front that he couldn't quite make out. Even from where he was, Voldemort could tell that this spirit or being had some sort of power to him, though he had no idea who it could be.

He watched as Peverell seemed stunned at the being in front of him - so clearly he hadn't expected the visitor - and then took a large curved sword; not anything found in Europe, Voldemort noted, from the new comer. Voldemort narrowed his eyes then, as moments later the man bowed slightly and pressed a kiss to Peverell's head, before taking a step back.

Just before the man vanished, however, he turned his head and looked directly at where Voldemort was watching and smirked maliciously at him. With a wink at Voldemort, the man vanished as though made of mist, and left Voldemort with a lingering feeling of dread and fear. Nothing good could come from that look.

Shaken from the possible warning he had received, Voldemort only just caught it as Peverell knelt in front of a headstone and then seemingly disappeared - something Voldemort still had no idea how he did it without magic.

Having decided that nothing much else would happen now that Peverell had left the grounds, Voldemort walked back to his desk to finish up any paperwork that may need to be done. There was no way he would be able to sleep now, and perhaps he would be able to catch Peverell when he returned from wherever he had disappeared off to and question him on the identity of the stranger.

That decided, Voldemort lost himself in the monotony of paperwork until almost an hour later when the wards warned him that something had passed through them at the copse near the cemetery. Standing up, Voldemort moved to the window to see what it was that had appeared and stared, stunned when he saw something he'd never seen before.

The creature - because really, there was no other word he could think to use for it - looked like a half decayed, bipedal being with a hunchback. Its face looked grotesquely stretched and it looked as though it had far more viciously sharp teeth packed into its mouth than it could comfortably fit. In fact, the way the teeth seemed to be pushed out passed its lips reminded Voldemort a little of sharks, something that the things dull black eyes also seemed to mimic.

Voldemort watched the thing warily, wondering if he should go down and dispatch of it, but something - almost like his magic - was telling him not to leave the safety of the manor. And if Voldemort listened to anything, it would be his magic. It was the only thing in his life that had never let him down. So instead of doing anything, he carried on watching and narrowed his eyes when the creature hobbled up the stairs to the door, only to pause and stare at the pumpkins. It seemed to hiss at them in anger, before it calmed suddenly when it noticed the milk and sugar. Quick as a flash, the creature ate the sugar and then downed the milk, before it then turned and hobbled back to the copse of trees, not even giving the manor a backward glance.

Rubbing the bridge of his nose, Voldemort stared at where the creature had disappeared to for a few moments, before he turned back to his desk. He had no idea what had just happened, though he now had a very good idea as to why Peverell had placed all those pumpkins around the house. So clearly Peverell had to have some idea as to what was going to happen, even though he himself wouldn't be around.

With that thought, Voldemort decided it was even more imperative that he wait for Peverell to return from where he'd been and question him about what had happened. He could not allow a possible threat to himself and his Death Eaters to wander around unchecked. And Peverell seemed to be the only one who could give him the answers he needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N - You'll find out what happened at the end of the chapter in the next one, when Harry returns from Agrippa's castle. Would this count as a cliffhanger? Like, a tiny one with that was more irritating than anything? Heh.
> 
> Ironically, it did snow in October in 2003. Though only in Scotland. Harry didn't know that though. Lol. Still! Ignoring Harry's lack of meteorological knowledge (try saying that when you're drunk!), what did you think of the chapter? Lord Beli is starting to make more appearances now and Yay for Charlus being safe from the war! Whoop! XD 
> 
> If you didn't notice, I've started posting one shots based in this world of scenes that either don't fit in the main fic or of things that happened in Harry's life before Bitter Hug is based. It's called 'The Uncut Hair of Graves' if you're interested! And if you have anything you'd like to see, review and let me know! :D 
> 
> Fact of the Chapter: The dress was blue and black, who knew?! *Snickers* Joke, joke. Not the actual fact of the chapter. This is: The number of the beast is not, in fact 666, but is actually 616. Which is amusing when you realise governments have actually spent a fair bit of money in the past to change/avoid anything being named 666. In fact, one Moscow bus route was changed from 666 to 616. Which is hilariously ironic. If you're wondering why everyone thought it was 666, it's because it was actually mistranslated as that. Apparently God is fallible. Who knew? *Snorts*
> 
> Although, to be fair, God wasn't the one to translate it, was He? So I guess we can't blame him after all. 
> 
> By the way, some people have asked me where I get the facts from. The answer is various places, books, magazines, David Attenborough, you know, everywhere. Heh. Should you be truly interested to know, then leave me a review and I'll reply with the book (should it have come tom there) or other source.


	17. Chapter Sixteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter marks the halfway point! After this there are only fifteen chapters to go! *Sniffles* not that I've actually wrote them yet, so don't be panicking about having to say goodbye to Horatio the Inappropriate Necromancer just yet… :D

Chapter Sixteen

As soon as Harry stepped through the main doors of Riddle Manor, a house elf appeared in front of him, startling him and making him glance at Ignotus over his shoulder. Ignotus being the helpful man that he was, just shrugged, so Harry turned his attention back to the house elf who was now tugging on its ears in nerves.

"Master Lord Master be asking Pimsy to take Little Lord Death Speaker to him when Little Lord Death Speaker be arriving back at the manor," the house elf squeaked at him, to which Harry just gaped a little before turning back to Ignotus.

_"You might as well follow the strange little being. I never did understand why purebloods needed such a subservient creature serving them. Go on, follow it. Him? It could be a him,"_  Ignotus muttered, making Harry raise an eyebrow at him before turning back to the house elf.

"Okay, lead the way," Harry told the elf, who gave a watery smile at him and promptly spun to lead Harry to wherever Voldemort had holed himself up in the manor. "Do you think he… she?… it, whatever, do you think it's aware that the second Master in the Master Lord Master title is completely redundant?"

_"I doubt it knows what redundant means. Now, do you know what Voldemort is going to ask you exactly or are you just going to wing it?"_ Ignotus asked him, sounding like he knew exactly what Harry's answer was going to be - which, in effect, made the question as redundant as the second Master in Voldemort's house elf title. A thought that made Harry snicker slightly.

"I haven't the foggiest. Er… probably about the ritual? Maybe. Or maybe he noticed I was gone and wants to know where I was. Who knows? Yeah, I'm gonna be winging it. Should you go get Cad?"

_"How is my reprobate brother going to help you? It's almost like asking Antioch the best way to keep a secret and not get mugged,"_  Ignotus drawled. Harry snickered and shot Ignotus a side glance.

"What have Cad and Ant said to upset you now?" Harry asked, glancing at the house elf just to make sure the strange thing hadn't led him into a disused hallway to murder him or something. Or just abandoned him.

_"Nothing of note. Just being their usual irritating selves. Even our Lord has had enough of their bickering. Well, so Sylvia says, though I don't know whether I should believe her or not."_

"I'd take whatever she tells you with a pinch of salt. I'll never forget that she told me foxgloves were poisonous to touch."

_"Well, you did have the habit of picking them all the time and drying them out for no real reason."_

"It was pretty. Now, do you think that it's hopping from foot to foot and tugging at its ears as some sort of strange message to tell us we're here? Or do you think it's having a fit?"

"Little Lord Death Speaker sir! Yous be here. Yous be going in now and Pimsy be leaving you," the house elf - Pimsy - said firmly with a nod, before it knocked on the door and vanished with a pop.

"I fancy a Pimms. And I don't even like Pimms."

"Enter." Harry wrinkled his nose at the near demand coming from Voldemort and glanced over at Ignotus - who helpfully shrugged - before opening the door and walking into the office that Voldemort was sitting in.

"You er… well, summoned me I suppose. I'm assuming you have something you would like me to answer? Well, either that or you're bored and fancied a chat," Harry said with a grin, sitting down in the seat opposite Voldemort's desk. His grin widened when Voldemort scowled at him before sighing and leaning forward slightly.

"As much as it may surprise you, I did not call you in here just for a  _chat_. It is about last night," Voldemort told him, sounding almost like he was forcing himself to be civil, which gave Harry a great amount of amusement.

"Ah, what about last night? I did tell you that I would be doing another ritual and there wasn't any bloodshed at all! I broke none of your rules! Honest!"

"Ignoring the fact that you left, therefore you broke the first and most important rule that I laid down, that is not what I wanted to talk about. After you left - again, I point out, breaking a rule - a strange creature appeared at the doors. However, just as I was wondering if I would need to do something, it seemed to be repelled by your - what I had assumed to be muggle - pumpkins and the offerings you seemingly left for it. Please explain what it was and how you knew it would be coming," Voldemort said in a tone of voice that told Harry the please was just there because Voldemort was, fundamentally, English and if there was anything the English did, it was add a please even when they didn't mean it. Sort of like apologising for everything. It was all just basic manners.

"Ah, that. First, those pumpkins date back to a tradition older than you could imagine. A time when wizards and witches were few and far between, when muggles knew of magic and when The Old Ones were still revered. Still believed in. So, it's not just a muggle tradition. It's just that wizards and witches have forgotten their roots and have deemed themselves above everything.  _Including_  The Old Ones. Though, to be fair, the muggles have pretty much forgotten why they carve pumpkins as well," Harry conceded, ignoring Ignotus scoffing and muttering under his breath about heathens and all having their just desserts soon enough.

"As fascinating as that brief history lesson was, it doesn't tell me what managed to slip through my wards and yet was deterred by a vegetable."

"Technically it's a squash… and possibly a fruit. I can't remember. Right! The point. Getting there!" Harry rambled when Voldemort glared at him and started to tap his wand on the desk.

"Get there quicker."

"Sheesh. Fine, what you saw was a Death Orcling. Well, that's what I call them. Apparently they've never truly had an actual name and each Necromancer that has come across them has given them their own name. Given I'm the only necromancer alive right now, I say they're called Death Orcling. It's awesome, right?"

"Indeed.  _What_  is it?"

"Oh! Right! Yes. No one knows and Lord Beli certainly isn't talking. The only thing known about them is that they're attracted to Death Energy and are only seen on Samhain. Halloween to the heathens amongst us," Harry added with a grin at Voldemort's unimpressed glare.

"Are they dangerous?"

"Well, you wouldn't want to invite one in for tea and crumpets. I didn't block it from the manor because I'd fallen out with it last year and was still holding a grudge. They tend to like flesh. Fresh flesh. With some fava beans and a nice chianti," Harry added before making a strange lisping hissing noise.

Voldemort stared at him for a second before he finally broke and sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose and shaking his head. "I have no idea why you're making that noise, but I'm sure you aren't actually meaning to speak gibberish in parseltongue. Which is what you are in fact doing."

"You've never seen Silence of the Lambs?! I think that is the worst atrocity you've committed to date. Which is saying something given half the shit you've done. So! Back to the Orcling…" Harry said with a nervous laugh when Voldemort's glare actually started to make Harry feel like it was burning into his skin.

"Yessss, the Orcling…" Voldemort hissed, making Harry glance to the side at Ignotus as though for help, not that he got any given the cowardly spirit just sighed and looked away.

"Well, there's really nothing to worry about anymore. Like I said, it only appears on Samhain and only where it can sense Death Energy. You really don't have to worry about it."

"Yes… and if I choose to ignore that and decide to ward against it? How would I go about that?"

"Carve pumpkins?" Harry suggested, giving himself a mental pat on the back for keeping a straight face even as he imagined Voldemort sitting on the floor, carving pumpkins. Given the snickering he could hear from Ignotus, he wasn't the only one imagining it.

"Quite. Anything less… plebeian?"

"Weren't plebs people in Ancient Rome (or was it Greece? I can never remember. Both the same place really) that were poor but had potential to be rich or something? So… isn't it good to be a pleb?" Harry asked, looking from Voldemort to Ignotus and then back again and sighing when they both just stared at him blankly.

"I would rather not start at the bottom. So? Anything else? No wards I can use?"

"Given that two thirds of necromancers were squibs, why would they make something that required magic to keep them out? No. Magic won't help you. If anything, it'll make it hungrier… Ew," Harry added with a wrinkle of his nose as he couldn't prevent himself from imagining that.

"What else did you put out there and why?"

"Milk and sugar to pacify it. I think the original necromancers kinda figured that it worked with brownies or something, so why not give it a try with the er… cannibalistic second cousins of them…"

_"Don't be ridiculous! They're not human and they only eat human flesh, so they're not cannibals,"_  Ignotus snapped, before he paused for a second and then scowled,  _"And you know they don't have brownies in Egypt, which is where the first necromancers were born. Who knows why they thought milk and sugar would be worth trying."_

"You could always ask them…" Harry suggested, snickering when Ignotus just scowled at him.

_"Given how stuck up and pompous they are, at this current moment, I imagine only you would actually have any hope in getting them to talk to you."_

"Huh? How come?"

_"They feel they are above everyone else due to them being the first necromancers. You, however, are the last necromancer and also closer to our Lord than any necromancer has ever been before, so they'd probably want to speak to you if only so they could quiz you on how to get Lord Beli's attention. They'll be dreadfully disappointed to find out the secret to your success is a friendship bracelet,"_ Ignotus drawled, smirking when Harry blushed and glared at him. Voldemort clearing his throat dragged Harry's attention away from Ignotus' teasing and to the man himself moments later.

"When you've quite finished having one-sided conversation in my office."

"Is it one-sided if I'm technically speaking to someone, even if you can't see them?" Harry pondered, before coughing and grinning sheepishly when Voldemort just glared at him. Again. "Should I just leave? I should just leave, shouldn't I? Right. Did you actually need me for anything else?"

"I don't suppose it's worth me asking who the man was that appeared before you last night? And where you disappeared to?" Voldemort asked, not looking like he was actually expecting an answer. Harry glanced to Ignotus, wondering if he was allowed to tell Voldemort that it was Lord Beli, and rolling his eyes when Ignotus just shrugged.

"Yeah, you're right. It's not worth asking," Harry told him with a cheeky grin, standing up from his chair and snickering when Voldemort weakly glared at him before groaning and pinching the bridge of his nose once more.

"Fine. Now get out. I can't deal with you any longer and certainly not so early in the morning," Voldemort hissed from behind his hand, thankfully - for Harry - his eyes were closed so he didn't see Harry having to practically slap his hand over his mouth to prevent a laugh from bursting out. Instead Harry just mumbled an agreement and then hastily left the room.

He managed to get to the floor his room was on - one above the one Voldemort's office resided on - before he erupted into giggles and, unsuccessfully, tried to muffle them as he hurried into his room and closed the door behind him. Really, Harry admitted it wasn't the healthiest of hobbies, driving a Dark Lord to distraction.

* * *

The next day, after Harry had slept the remainder of Samhain away in an exhausted coma, he woke and decided to clear up the offerings he'd left in the cemetery. He really didn't see the Death Eaters doing it and the spirits certainly wouldn't.

So late morning on the second of November found Harry traipsing around the cemetery with a gullible Barty, who he'd roped into helping him - read, guilted him into doing it due to not helping him set up the pumpkins in the first place. Not that he'd actually asked. Barty hadn't pointed that out though, so Harry didn't feel bad for admitting it.

"My lord has had some of the lower Death Eaters searching information on something called an Orcling…" Barty spoke up after they had been wandering through the old graves for a short while in comfortable silence.

"Ah, how's that going for him?"

"Not well. Do you know anything about it?"

"A bit. I've told him all I know though. Tell him to maybe look up graveling instead. That's what the Manzazuu originally called them and what Ignotus called them, so they might actually be mentioned in old texts. Possibly. Doubtful, but maybe."

"Do you know why he's looking them up?"

"They're a creature that are attracted to the increase in Death Energy during Samhain rituals. One showed up the other night and Voldemort witnessed it. He seemed curious about them when I returned. Still, I did tell him that the pumpkins, milk and sugar were the only sure fire ways of keeping them out of your house. You'll be safe as long as you remember to put them on your doorstep at least and then stay indoors," Harry told him with a shrug, bending down to pick up the last couple of turnips. "I think we're done."

"Yes. What were these for? I've seen muggles carve pumpkins for Halloween before but not turnips," Barty said, turning one of the turnips in his hand to look at it better and looking vaguely horrified when he did. "Is this supposed to be my lord?"

Harry grinned mischievously at the question but didn't give a verbal answer, though Barty took it as a yes and just rolled his eyes before placing it back on the small bundle in his arms. "They carve pumpkins in Devon somewhere. There's a song and everything. But I use them as guiding beacons to all those I'm giving my thanks to and they call Lord Beli to me. And it's easier to carve and place turnips on all the graves as opposed to pumpkins."

Instead of responding to that, Barty just nodded and then turned to follow Harry back through the headstones towards the manor. Just as they were leaving the actual cemetery and stepping onto the main path to the front doors, Harry froze and glanced up at the sky.

"Harry?"

"Hairy star," Harry muttered, pointing up at the sky. Barty looked at where he was pointing and gaped at the sight of a comet seemingly stationary in the sky above them.

"Hairy star?"

"Yeah. Sorry. I mean a comet. It's… it's a sign," Harry said in a slightly dazed voice, not taking his eyes off the comet and thus not seeing the concerned look Barty sent him.

"A sign for what?"

"Nothing good," Harry told him, before seemingly coming out of the trance the comet had sent him into and blinking rapidly, then turning to face Barty. "Sorry, come on, let's put these in the compost bin. Then I need to be somewhere."

"Are you alright, Harry?" Barty asked, following Harry past the main doors to the manor and down the rarely used path to the side gardens. He raised an eyebrow at a new, strange green plastic barrel placed in the corner created by one of the main chimney's of the house. "This is new."

"I'm planting a few herbs. The house elves were okay with it. Well, after a minor breakdown, but once I reassured them that I wouldn't take their jobs  _or_  make a mess by raising any dead bodies,  _then_  they were fine. Anyway, when I got their sort of permission, I bought this from my house. Well, I say I bought this. I sent one of the house elves to fetch it for me. They were quite happy to once I explained what it was and how it would help anything growing in the garden," Harry explained as he opened the top and dumped his armful of turnips into the already fairly full bin.

"Ah, what is it?"

"A compost bin. You put food leftovers and such into it, and it decomposes and becomes compost. Or something like that. I dunno. It's science-y and my science teacher didn't like me all that much because I would occasionally correct him. In my defence, there was an old school mistress who er… well, she died in a science experiment that went wrong in the fifties, but she knew science better than my living teacher. He didn't like it when I corrected him. Come to think of it, my history teacher didn't like it either."

"I doubt any teacher would like it when they student corrects them," Barty told him dryly before dumping his turnips into the bin as well. "Are you sure you're alright though? You went a little strange back there."

"Yeah, I'm fine. But I need to go do something. Can you um… Tell Voldiebear that I'll be back later. Well, if he notices I'm gone. If he doesn't, don't tell him anything," Harry said with a grin. Barty just rolled his eyes at him but still smiled and followed him back to the front of the house.

"Fine. I won't tell him unless he asks. Will you be okay?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine! I'll see you later, okay?" Harry asked as they paused in front of the doors. Barty just nodded to him and then went back into the manor, closing the door behind him. Harry grinned happily at the lack of nosey questions, then practically skipped back to the cemetery and quickly drew out a gate, hoping that he would arrive in the right place. Giving one last wary glance to the comet in the sky, he stepped through the gate.

* * *

After having to grab a bus that would take him nearer to the right place - his gate being off by about a mile or so - Harry hiked the rest of the journey, using the public footpaths to the top of the cliffs and glanced around him, smiling when he noticed that Ignotus was waiting for him by an old looking bench.

"Is this the right spot to summon them?" Harry asked as he walked over to Ignotus, mentally thanking the local education authority for making schools be in, and thus no one around to witness this, and sitting next to him on the bench.

_"It is. Like with the others, you just need to concentrate on who you are calling to you. Even though it is two this time, they are linked so they will both come with no extra trouble,"_  Ignotus told him, glancing around them when Harry just nodded and closed his eyes, focusing on calling the next two deities to him.

_"Thegn of Lord Beli?"_  Harry opened his eyes and looked up at his recently acquired title that only the gods had used thus far. Standing before him were a young looking man and woman. The startling thing about them was that their skin was jet black, like living shadows, but their hair was pure white and their eyes were a golden yellow. They both had similar facial features, sharp and narrow, with pointed chins. But the male seemed younger than the female somehow.

"I am he."

_"Name us."_  Harry looked at them with wide eyes as they both spoke at the same time before he turned all his attention to the woman, who was wearing a white Ancient Greek style robe with a golden rope tied around her waist. Her white hair was braided and piled on her head in an elegant bun, with a gold band seemingly keeping it in place.

"Don," Harry said, standing from his seat on the bench and bowing to her, getting a small smile in return, before he turned to face the male, who was wearing a pale blue wrap around his waist and had a sapphire earring in one ear. His white hair was long and loose, long fringe falling into his golden eyes. "Dylan."

_"The feoght is cum and man will cnaw triewth,"_ Don said, before Dylan stepped forward.

_"Do thu cnaw who sceal feoght?"_

"I do."

_"The wilde will be tacan bac,"_ Dylan told him in a firm voice, before stepping back once more when Don placed a calming hand on his shoulder and stepped in front of him.

_"And the songs will be sung for a thousand years."_

"And the anglisc will have freodom," Harry replied, not even aware that he was speaking old english and feeling as though he was partly in a trance.

_"Thu spec triewth."_

_"We sceal call thu when the time has cum."_

_"Lysten for our song, Nightgenga and Thegn of Lord Beli,"_ Don told him, before she and Dylan glanced to the sky and then disappeared as though they were never there in the first place. Something Harry was all too familiar with people doing in his lifetime and thus was not so startled by.

_"Horatio?"_ Ignotus' tentative call of his name dragged Harry out of his daze and he shook his head before looking at Ignotus.

"Things are picking up a bit, huh?"

_"They are indeed. Are you ready?"_

"Do I have a choice but to be ready?"

_"No, I don't suppose you do. Now that you can touch us, perhaps we should start to teach you how to wield that sword our Lord gifted to you. And you should start to use your bones more. Ask us questions every day to get into the habit. You are no longer alone and going through life blind to what the future may bring_ ," Ignotus told him gravely, making Harry subconsciously reach down and touch the pouch always tied to his belt.

"Will I fight then?"

_"I don't know. It will depend on Lord Beli. The other gods would be fools to involve you more than they already have without His consent. And I do not see Him allowing His only necromancer to be put into harms way,"_  Ignotus admitted, glancing out over the sea from his seat next to Harry.

"You know, I never really thought that I would become so involved in a war. I've spoken to so many dead soldiers and warriors that war has never interested me. And now, here I am, working behind the scenes to start a war that even the wizards didn't see coming."

_"You have spoken to Cassandra. She does not think it will last long."_

"She's not sure though. It all depends on too many varying factors for her to truly be able to reliably See what will happen. Something bad though. Something is coming that has even her worried. I didn't think the dead truly felt worry," Harry admitted, shifting in his seat so that he could face Ignotus without having to twist his body awkwardly.

_"There are some things that will cause even the dead to worry. And whisperings of a war that may be the cause of millions being killed is one of those things. There must be a reason, after all, for the Old Ones to be rising after almost a thousand years of being dormant."_

"It hasn't been quite a thousand years for some of them. Magicals still worshipped The Great Mother, and there were some that also worshipped either our lord or Lady Don until only about five hundred years ago," Harry pointed out quietly.

_"True. They were still forgotten though, were they not? I sometimes feel that was the fault of my brothers and I. After we erased necromancers from living memory, people seemingly lost the need to worship the deities we spoke to. I suppose it was inevitable that the old beliefs would slowly die with us."_

"I think arrogance is mostly to blame. Humans don't truly like to think there are beings out there more powerful than them who may actually have a role in their life and future. That their fate isn't actually completely in their hands. The erasing of the necromancers had nothing to do with that."

_"You are probably right. There is not much we can do about it now either way. And the Old Ones are waking now too."_

"Speaking of, who do you think will be next to be named?"

_"I do not know, but you should perhaps read up more on any remaining Welsh gods. Given those are the names they seem to be going by."_

"Do you think they mind? It was either those or their Norse names, and I figured given where we are, it would be easier to call them to us using the names they used when walking these lands."

_"You were the one tasked to name them. They have no say in what incarnation you choose and you were raised knowing our Lord as Lord Beli. It is only natural that you called his fellow gods by the names of the same religion."_

"True. So that was Don and Dylan. Why did they come together?" Harry asked, having wondered this since they had first come to him in his sleep.

_"They are mother and son, and also lovers. Where one goes, the other follows,"_  Ignotus told him, grinning when Harry turned to gape at him, before his face scrunched up a little as he fully processed what Ignotus had told him.

"Mother and son  _and_  lovers? Um… that's… unconventional," Harry said weakly, trying to force his brain not to think on it too deeply and failing miserably.

_"Yes, it is somewhat. However, they are gods. It is not like the laws and conventions of man affect them in any way. Who is foolish enough to tell a god that they are wrong?"_

"Good point. Besides, I guess it's not like they're hurting anyone," Harry finally said after a moments thought, before he shrugged and decided to put it out of his mind. It really wasn't his business anyway. With another shrug, he stood up and turned, putting his hands in his pockets and hunching a little when a strong gust of wing blew over him from the sea. "We should be heading back before I freeze here and become no use to anyone."

_"You should also reassure Bartemius that you are fine. He seemed worried about you earlier when you left him. You chose well with that one, Horatio. He is a good friend. My brothers and I fully approve."_

"Good, because I like him. He's weird enough that my own weirdness doesn't seem to bother him. And how did you know he was worried about me anyway? You weren't even there!"

_"You know we have ways of keeping an eye on those we have left behind. Now go, before you fall ill. You cannot afford to be unwell,"_  Ignotus warned him, which Harry took to heart and nodded before he walked to stand behind the bench and drew a quick gate to take him back to Riddle Manor.

* * *

"Afternoon, Harry." Harry looked up from the book on deities of the British Isles that he had found in the library and saw Marcus standing in front of him, looking somewhat anxious for some reason.

"Hey, Marcus. Finished whatever task it was that you had to do?" Harry asked him with a bright smile, placing a bookmark in the book and closing it and giving Marcus his full attention. He vaguely recalled Marcus wanting to talk to him about something, and wondered if he would find out what it was now.

"Yes, it went well. I was officially introduced to the Wizangamot as my father's heir during the Halloween meeting," Marcus told him, shifting slightly where he stood in front of Harry, making Harry silently wonder why he wasn't sitting down.

"They have regular meetings on Samhain?" Harry asked curiously, moving forward to place his book on the coffee table in front of him and shifting to get comfortable in the chair once more.

"They do. Harry, do you think we could take this conversation to somewhere more private?" Marcus asked him, voice wavering a little as he asked and glancing suspiciously over at the only other occupants of the room, two men Harry didn't know the name of and didn't particularly care to learn.

"Sure, where would you like to go?"

"Are my family rooms okay?" Marcus asked him, gaze darting from Harry to the Death Eaters and back. Harry just shrugged and stood from his seat.

"Sure thing, you'll have to lead the way though as I have no idea where they are. Actually, I didn't even know there were rooms for whole families," Harry admitted with a shrug and a grin. Marcus just nodded and led him out of the library. "So?  _Do_  they normally hold meetings during Samhain?"

"Yes, every year, there will be set meetings held on Halloween. And there are also yearly meetings held on May 1st and February 1st. No one really remembers why though. It's been that way since the Wizengamot was first founded about nine hundred years ago."

"Ah, I know why those dates," Harry said with a grin, which made Marcus look over at him with interest.

"Really? I assumed the last one was because of Halloween for some reason, but the other two I don't know of anything significant."

"They're festival dates. And I bet that originally the meetings were actually held on November 1st, not October 31st. The first day of February goes by Imbolc, the celebration of the first day of spring. The first day of May is Beltane, the celebration of summer and the last is Samhain, the first night of winter. All are strong magical days. I have no idea why they don't hold meetings on August 1st, Lughnasadh, for autumn though," Harry said with a shrug and a confused frown on his face, even as they finally reached their destination and Marcus opened the door for Harry to enter them. He did, pausing to take in the opulence of the room, which was set out like a small sitting room. Feeling like he was sullying the room with his sheer peasant-y air, he cautiously made his way over to one of the two seater sofa's and sat down on it. Silently he panicked that the slightly over-stuffed sofa would try to eat him ifs it felt he was too poor to stay in the rooms. Nothing would surprise him with purebloods.

"That actually makes sense and explains why they're held on seemingly random days. And you're right, it was about two hundred years ago that one of the meetings was moved from November 1st to Halloween. But why did you celebrate er… soween? On the thirty-first?" Marcus asked him, taking a seat on the identical sofa opposite Harry.

"Sah-win. It's pronounce sahwin. And I didn't. Samhain technically starts at sunset on the 31st and ends sunset on the first," Harry told him with a grin, which widened when Marcus rolled his eyes.

"On the lack of an August meeting. It'd be held in the middle of the school summer holidays. There are no meetings during that time unless they're emergency ones."

"Ah. So… did you want to talk to me in private about politics and religious festivals?" Harry asked, tilting his head to the side curiously, beads clicking together in his hair.

"No. No, I didn't. I actually asked you here for an entirely different reason. A more… personal reason. I checked, but you are the only known Peverell, so you're the head of your family," Marcus said, slightly rambling and making Harry wonder where he was going with it.

"Yeah, I suppose I am. Though if you were looking for someone who I answer to and has some say in my life, then that would be Death. Why do you need to know?" Harry asked, silently hoping that Marcus didn't suddenly decide to summon Death. He never appreciated being forced to attend a meeting instead of being asked to attend.

"I'm not sure Death would be who I would go to for this, so I will have to go straight to you."

"Okay, and what would that be, exactly?"

"Right. There is technically a proper way to do this, but I'm just going to ignore the long-winded boring parts," Marcus said, shifting anxiously and moving forward a little so he was closer to Harry. "Harry, you fascinate me and you have since I met you. I've told my father about my wishes, and given your ties to the Peverell's and your abilities, he is ready to back me."

Harry had a sinking feeling in his stomach as Marcus spoke, speech sounding alarmingly like the beginnings of a wedding proposal weirdly mixed with a business proposal. Neither of which made Harry feel any more comfortable with the situation. "Right… and what exactly is it that your father is backing?" Harry asked, deciding to play dumb and hope his fears were unfounded.

"Harry, I wish to enter a formal courting with you. I feel that joining our families together would be highly prosperous, and more importantly, I think you are someone I could come to love and would make me be a better man. So will you agree to allowing me to court you?" Harry gaped at Marcus, stomach churning and twisting as he tried to put into words why he couldn't accept.

"Marcus," Harry started quietly, refusing to look up and see Marcus' facial expression, "I see you as a good friend, one of my only living ones. And I don't want to damage that friendship in anyway. However, I'm sorry, but I can't allow you to court me. It is no longer a possibility."

"Barty beat me to it, didn't he? You've entered a courtship with him," Marcus said, looking both upset by this assumption and angry. So Harry darted in to correct his assumption before he decided to stay angry and hunted down Barty.

Something Harry wasn't entirely sure Marcus would get out of alive.

"No. Barty didn't ask me to court him. He admitted his attraction to me a couple of weeks ago, but we both knew it wouldn't work. He's just a good friend."

"So why can't you accept?"

"I'm not human, Marcus. I look human, and I have the same basic biology. But my blood will always give me away."

"I don't care about that though. My great-grandmother was a werewolf. Creature blood doesn't bother me," Marcus told him, making Harry chuckle sadly and shake his head.

"There's something about necromancers that you don't know. To be fair, there's a lot you don't know. But there's one important thing. We have the blood of Death. And should we choose, there is a ritual that will tie us more tightly to Him. After that ritual, we could technically be considered living dead. Half of our soul moves on permanently and our bodies slow down, almost as though we're dying. Most importantly though, it means we can't safely touch any living being without consequence. We gave up half of our ties to life, so we are punished by experiencing the death of everything and everyone who has not cut that tie. If we touch, Marcus, I'll feel how you will die and I will know when that event will happen. And I will feel that  _every time we touch._ I performed the ritual. I'm a necromancer. I'm the last necromancer in fact. There is no one,  _no one_ , who is more important to me than my lord, Death," Harry explained, hoping to get across how much he didn't regret what he had done.

"Is there no way to reverse it?"

"No. And even if there was, you couldn't marry me anyway. It would mean the end of both our lines. I doubt you would want that."

"I know you haven't really been in the wizarding world for years now, but there are ways for two men to have a child together."

"Two human men, yes. I am made up of death energy. I kill faeries when I get too close. I start to kill small rabbits, cats and dogs. What do you think would happen to a foetus? Even though you would be unaware, there is a reason why there were hardly any female necromancers, and those that were did not have children. The male necromancers who did manage to have children chose to stay away from their spouse for the whole pregnancy. Death and Life, much as they are also entwined and together, can never truly mesh and merge into one another."

"So it's pointless even trying then? We would never work?' Marcus said, dull, lifeless voice making Harry wince a little.

"No, we wouldn't. I'm sorry, really, I am. You're an amazing man and in any other life, I would have said yes in a heartbeat, but in this one? In this one, I guess you could say I'm married to Death," Harry said with a small, sad grin and a shrug of his shoulders.

"Married to Death? I suppose I'd rather lose out to Death than Barty Crouch," Marcus admitted bitterly, and Harry decided that that was his cue to leave and stood up from his seat.

"Look, I really am sorry about this, but I truly hope we can still remain friends. I'll leave you be now, let you think about everything I told you and see if you think we can be friends. It's your choice. I'll accept whatever you decide. Bye, Marcus," Harry said quietly, leaving the room and then leaning on the closed door for a second. He really didn't like disappointing people but he hoped Marcus would accept his decision as well as Barty had a few weeks previously.

* * *

Later that night, Harry returned to his rooms and was surprised to see his Aunty Sylv waiting for him, sitting on his bed.

"I haven't seen you for a while, Aunty Sylv. Everything is okay, isn't it?" Harry asked, not entirely sure he could cope with more bad news and just wanted to hide away for a week and a day.

"We know what happened earlier and it was decided I would be the best bet to come and talk to you about it. Lord knows why. So, would you like to talk about it?" Sylv asked him, which drew a sigh out of Harry.

Harry carefully ran a hand through his hair and moved over to his bed to flop down on it next to Sylv face down, groaning into the mattress and sighing a little when he felt ghostly fingers start to stroke his hair soothingly.

"I hope you realise I won't understand a word you say if you stay in that position," Sylv told him dryly, smirking when Harry just groaned again but did make the effort to shift so he was lying fully on the bed on his side, facing her. "So? Are you regretting performing the ritual now? Now that you realise that there actually are living people out there who like you and would be interested in you?"

"A tiny part of me does. Which makes me feel worse because Lord Beli is literally my god and I feel I'm betraying Him with my regret. But at the same time, I never really considered being in a relationship but I think a little bit of me wondered what it would have been like. Being faced with actual proof that it could have happened made me second guess everything I thought I knew about myself," Harry admitted sadly, tugging a pillow over to him so that he could hug it to his chest, closing his eyes when Sylv returned to stroking his hair.

"When you first came to live with me and finally opened up about what it was you were seeing, I'll admit I worried. Part of me wondered if what you were seeing was actually there and whether it would actually be better for me to get you help. But then I realised how much you knew and how happy they made you, and I realised it had to be real. Then I came to the realisation that you being the last of your kind would mean you would have a very lonely life."

"I'm not lonely. And where are you going with this?" Harry asked, peeking over his pillow to look at his aunt in confusion.

"If you didn't interrupt me, brat, you would know where I was going with this!" Sylv scolded, tugging hard on one of his beads and making him hiss in pain. "Now, where was I. Oh yes, I feared for your adult life. There aren't many out there who are happy to live in relative solitude. But you possibly wouldn't have had a choice. No non-magical would have believed you and would have just thought you crazy, and any magical would have thought you a delusional squib."

"Gee, cheers for that vote of confidence. How is this making me feel better?"

"Hush. I'm getting there. I saw my mistake after you came back from first meeting Lord Beli. I knew you worshipped Him from day dot, but meeting him fanned the flame inside you into a raging furnace. I knew then that you would never really be alone. Even when I passed, I would be able to keep an eye on you and if anything, become even closer to you by being able to see everyone you saw. I realised, that night, that you loved your lot in life and more than that, you loved the one being who gave you that lot."

"Of course I do. Which is why I feel bad now. Again, how is this helping me?"

"Because I can see your love of necromancy from the outside. And because of that, I know that had you forgone performing that ritual and gave Marcus a chance, eventually you would have grown to resent him. You would never have been as happy with Marcus as you are now being Lord Beli's most devoted servant. And then, when you would have inevitably performed the ritual to tie you more tightly to the living plain, you would have hated Marcus for taking you away from your family and from your Lord. Had you chosen Marcus, you would have eventually lost everything that makes you who you are. Don't regret making a decision that saved both yourself and Marcus from a life of misery," Sylv told him, stroking her hand down his cheek and smiling at him, before leaning over and kissing him.

"You're right, of course you are. And fine, you helped," Harry begrudgingly admitted after Sylv looked at him expectantly. "Sometimes though, I wish I could speak to Lord Beli more. I understand why I can't, but that doesn't always help. I guess I'll just have to deal with that though. It's not like I can change it. And I honestly am happy when He does manage to see me," Harry added, yawning and snuggling down more into the mattress.

"He knows, Harry. Now, get changed and go to sleep. It's been one hell of a day and you need all the sleep you can get," Sylv told him, getting a sleepy nod from Harry as he lethargically forced himself to follow her orders. He gave her a soft smile as he stood up, truly thankful for pointing out what he'd already really known. No one came before Lord Beli for him.

* * *

Harry had been deeply asleep for a couple of hours when Sylv and, the more recent addition to the room, Antioch stiffened slightly when they sensed a build up of energy just before Lord Beli appeared in the room, right next to Harry's bed.

The two spirits silently watched as their Lord gazed at Harry with an air of sadness, before He moved to sit on the bed next to Harry and started to gently stroke his hair. All three smiled softly when Harry gave a content mumble and moved closer to Beli, as though subconsciously aware of who was watching over him.

Lord Beli sat there, calmly stroking Harry's hair and gazing at him for almost an hour in silence, before he leant forward and whispered a barely audible apology into Harry's ear before pushing his fringe away and kissing his forehead. Straightening up, Lord Beli then took a letter out of the golden cuff on his arm and placed it on the bedside table, he then gave a nod to the two watching spirits before fading from the room once more.

When they were sure they were alone, Sylv and Antioch shared a startled and significant glance before moving nearer to Harry, quietly basking in the still lingering essence of Death.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N - First off, a few people questioned how Harry wasn't hurt when he touched Charlus in the previous chapter. Harry did say that he had the blessing of Lord Beli. The kiss he gave to Harry was more than just an affectionate gesture. It protected Harry from the worst of it. Of course, just because Harry didn't show that he was feeling any discomfort, isn't the say he wasn't affected at all.
> 
> And if you were wondering, yes, Samhain is pronounced Sah-win. It isn't spelt phonetically (like most gaelic words, in fact), as much as many shows/books/etc would like you to believe. Admittedly, I'm Scottish, so to me it's pronounced sah-win. I believe Irish Gaelic pronounce it slightly differently. I might be wrong there though, so don't quote me on that. 
> 
> So what did you think of the chapter then? Started to get slightly angsty towards the end there, didn't it? Sorry 'bout that. Was it worth the wait though? I hope it was and I'm sorry it was such a long wait! Please review and let me know what you thought! :D 
> 
> Chapter Glossary:
> 
> Thegn of Lord Beli - Just in case you'd forgotten, this is the title given to Harry by the gods. It basically means Lord of Lord Beli, which sounds a bit redundant and thus thegn works better. Lol.
> 
> "The feoght is cum and man will cnaw triewth," - The fight has come and man will know truth
> 
> "Do thu cnaw who sceal feoght?" - Do you know who shall fight?
> 
> "The wilde will be tacan bac," - The wild will be taken back
> 
> "The songs will be sung for a thousand years." - Self explanatory… :D
> 
> "And the anglisc will have freodom," - The English will have freedom
> 
> "Thu spec triewth." - You speak truth
> 
> "We sceal call thu when the time has cum." - We shall call you when the time has come
> 
> "Lysten for our song, Nightgenga and Thegn of Lord Beli," - Listen for our song, demon of the night.
> 
> Female fact of the fic - Men, it is not romantic to say 'I love all your curves and imperfections'. You might think you're saying 'I love everything about you' but what we're actually hearing is 'I think you're fat and flawed'. So if you do say that, don't be shocked when your loving partner burst into hysterical tears and eats a slab of chocolate. (Second female fact - it's a known fact that when you're feeling fat, the only thing to make you feel better is chocolate… which will then make you feel more fat. Vicious. Cycle.) - Admittedly, those things might just be me. All hail any women out there who are so comfortable with themselves that someone saying they have curves does not make them suddenly invest in body contouring clothing… 
> 
> Actual fact of the chapter - Shakespeare nicked the Globe Theatre. True fact. It was originally built on the other side of the Thames and was privately owned, thus too expensive for more playwrights to have their work performed there. Shakespeare and pals (including Marlowe, I believe) actually disassembled it and then rebuilt it on the other side of the thames. Because of laws of the time, it meant it was no longer able to be owned by the previous owner. *Snickers* So, next time someone says Shakespeare is boring, reply with 'anyone who has the balls to nick an entire theatre and move it over the river is not boring.' Never mind all the other shit he got up to. He was like the Sid Vicious of the seventeenth century. Lol.


	18. Chapter Seventeen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're going to review me to let me know how you think I should write this, or that Harry only went to Voldemort so I could make Voldie seem the good guy, could you please read all that I've posted first and save us all the embarrassment of my pointing out that Voldemort is not a good guy. Actually, just read all posted chapters before reviewing to give me advice (read: tell me how to write this) in any way. Cheers. 
> 
> Now, enjoy the chapter!

Chapter Seventeen

When Harry woke the next morning, it was to an amused Antioch sitting next to his bed and watching him.

"Have you been watching me all night, because that would be a little creepy," Harry mumbled, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and blinking rapidly to try and wake himself up a bit quicker.

_"Not all night. You had another visitor in the night as well,"_  Antioch told him, amusement clear in his tone of voice and making Harry look at him suspiciously.

"Who? Obviously no one to worry about given you didn't wake me up."

_"Definitely not someone to worry about. In fact He left a letter for you on the bedside table,"_  Antioch told him, waving towards the envelope on the table. Harry glanced at Antioch suspiciously before turning to pick the envelope up. As soon as he touched it, he gasped and immediately knew who it was from.

"Lord Beli…" Harry mumbled, rubbing his fingers over the envelope that was practically vibrating from the Death Energy Lord Beli naturally left behind. Biting his bottom lip nervously, Harry carefully opened the envelope and pulled out the heavy piece of parchment inside. When he opened it, a wave of scents that Harry associated with Lord Beli washed over him and made him smile even though he was nervous about what it would say.

_**'My Little Necromancer,** _

_**First, I want you to know that I am sorry for my part in how your life has treated you thus far. I am aware that you would never blame me, but that does not take away from the fact that some fault does lay at my feet. You are very precious to me, Horatio, and I would do everything in my power to make you as happy as you make me. The fact that you love me unconditionally is the greatest gift anyone could ever give a being such as myself. As times become more difficult, do not hesitate in calling for me should you ever need me. I will drop everything in order to come to you aid, never forget that.** _

_**Second, and possibly more importantly at this time, the main reason for this letter. I am both proud of you with how you have dealt with my compatriots thus far, and yet I am also afraid for you due to their attention on you. This letter, however, is to let you know that you will be required to name two more gods on Yule, before having to name the final one on new year.** _

_**Now, this is important, Horatio. Do not believe all that the last god will tell you. He is known for his silver tongue and pretty words. You should be safe from him due to your connection to me, however it is also that connection that will grab his attention and make him interested in you. Be wary around this god, Horatio. He is not my biggest fan and I fear he may use you to get to me. Stay on your guard.** _

_**Once again, let me remind you to not hesitate in calling for me should you need me. You are too important to me and I refuse to lose you. Stay safe and use the gift I have left you well. You will know how. You are a Master Necromancer now, but do not think that means you have done all you can to advance yourself. Now is the worst time to lapse in your rituals. Listen to Ignotus and do not put yourself into any unnecessary trouble.** _

_**Stay safe,** _

_**Ω** _

Harry finished reading the letter, before quickly rereading it and then turning back to the envelope, wondering what gift his Lord was talking about. Picking it up, he noticed there was something lodged in the corner. Shaking the envelope into his hand, a small finger bone rolled out and Harry gaped.

_"What is that? Is that what I think it is?"_

"I don't know… It  _feels_  like Lord Beli, but… how? How is that possible?" Harry asked, not taking his eyes off the small bone in his hand.

_"I'm not sure. It isn't like He has an actual physical body that can be used as divining bones. What did the letter say about it?"_

"Just that I would know how to use it and that it was a gift. But He also said, a few times, that I should call for Him whenever I needed Him. Do you think this would help in that? I mean, generally, to summon Him, you have to end the life of something. Do you think this will cut that need out?" Harry asked, picking up the bone from his hand and rolling it between his finger and thumb. He could feel Lord Beli's essence from it curling around his own energy playfully and it made him smile unconsciously and tighten his grip on it.

_"It could do. Of course, should you need His help in the middle of a fight, say, then there would be plenty of death around to use. However, if you were in a situation where you had nothing to offer up, I imagine that bone would help you. Can you sense if it would also work with your other bones?"_  Antioch asked him curiously, moving to sit next to him on the bed and leaning forward slightly to get a better look at the bone.

"Yeah, I think I can. I can feel the energy in it, and I… know it would work and help aid me in getting the answers I need."

_"Then who cares who it originally belonged to, or how it came to be. It is a very precious gift and something unheard of to other necromancers,"_  Antioch said, a strange mix of pride and jealousy coming through his tone.

"He said that I was important to Him. Why am I important? Surely I'm the same as any other necromancer from the past?" Harry asked, finally dragging his eyes away from the bone to look up at Antioch.

_"You're the last but also may be the first of the new line of necromancers. Everything lies on you. Our future lies on how you are received. And, of course, you have been unfailingly loyal to Our Lord. No matter what, you have never faulted in your love for Him. Even my brothers and I faltered. We didn't completely put all of our trust in Him. You have. Unquestioningly. No matter what He asks of you, you would do it without question. That kind of loyalty is almost unheard of."_

"I don't know if I'd do everything. Do you really think that about me?" Harry asked, scrunching his nose up a little as he tried to think of anything he wouldn't do for Lord Beli.

_"Were He to ask you to kill yourself for him, would you?"_

"Well, yeah. It's not like I'd never see my living friends and family again, is it? So it wouldn't be too bad and if He asked it of me, then clearly it's more important than my continued existence," Harry said matter-of-factly, not really seeing where Antioch was going with that.

_"Horatio, most would at least pause and think about it before agreeing. That is even if they did agree in the first place. Even most necromancers held some degree of wariness over dying. How about if He asked you to kill someone? Kill Barty?"_

"Well… eventually Barty would probably forgive me and I'd still be able to talk to him, so yeah. I guess I would," Harry admitted with a shrug, Then he paused and grinned sheepishly at Antioch. "Okay, I get your point. But it's not hard to be loyal to Him. He's Our Lord."

_"And you think the Death Eaters feel the same way about their lord?"_

"It's not really the same thing, is it? Voldemort isn't a god, for one. And can I just thank Death for that? That man has enough of a god complex without actually being one."

_"You do have a point. So did the letter say anything else important or interesting?"_

"Actually, it did. He told me that the next two gods to be named will be on Yule. Though that was all it said on that matter, so I still have no idea  _who_  they could be. Oh, and that the final god to call will be on New Years Day. Possibly. Actually, it just said the new year. Who knows when exactly. He also warned me about that one. Said the god wasn't fond of Lord Beli and could try to use me to get to Him. To be honest, I felt like He was warning me away from giving my loyalties to another. It was strange," Harry said, looking down at the letter and the bone that Lord Beli had given to him.

_"There is no point in worrying about it now. You have time. But did you say that two more gods would be appearing together?"_

"Yeah, that's what He said."

_"Then chances are they will be the only twin gods. The final one I am not sure about though. I can think of two other gods that you haven't named yet, not including the twins. Why would there only be one left in that case? Lord Beli said the last was male, didn't He?"_

"That he did. Why?"

_"You haven't formally named The Great Mother. So why did He say those three were the last? Do you not need to name Her?"_

"I have no idea. I suppose I'll find out when the time comes. After all, She is as important as Lord Beli in all of this."

_"Perhaps, once upon a time, She was as important as Lord Beli. However, the magicals no longer remember or worship Her as they once did. They have grown arrogant. She no longer has as much sway as She once had in that world."_

"She could still take their magic away, couldn't She?"

_"What has once been given cannot be taken away. However, She could refuse to gift it to anyone else. These could well be the last magicals to be born,"_  Antioch pointed out, a grim look on his face.

"Well, that would suck for them, huh? And no one will know if that  _is_  the route She's taken until the first of the next generation are born and don't get their Hogwarts letter. Not that it would affect us all that much, but it is amusing to think that Voldemort and Dumbledore may well be fighting for a dead world," Harry said with a chuckle. Antioch echoed that chuckle and shook his head.

_"Not that we know that is the outcome, but it would be amusing to see their faces when they found out, if it was to happen."_

"Hmm, but that would mean for this war to last at least eleven years. I don't think my nerves could take that. Judging by Lord Beli's letter, it will come to a head in the new year. Fingers crossed the conclusion to it doesn't mean disaster for everyone."

_"Even if it did, I doubt Lord Beli would allow it to touch you."_

"Maybe not, but there are some things even Death can't stop."

* * *

Harry was reading yet another book on British gods in the library a couple of days later when he was interrupted by the arrival of a rather unsettled looking Severus.

"Are you alright, Severus?" Harry marked his page and placed the book on the arm of the chair he had claimed as his own - it was amazing the kind of deterrent a dried chicken bone could be when those you lived with knew you could raise the dead - before looking up at Severus in concern.

_"More people have finally noticed your brother's disappearance and your mother could no longer cover for him. The Order are now aware that Charlus has become a deserter."_

"Bit harsh calling him that. Still, that's not enough to make you actually look affected. What else has happened?"

_"With the news that Charlus has deserted them, Dumbledore has become desperate."_

"Why does that make me feel nervous? What has he got planned?"

_"It should make you nervous. He's decided to up his search for you once more. He also asked Lily and James to call your sisters back, but they told him that there was no way to contact them. So for now, at least, Rose and Dahlia are safe. You are not, however."_

"Well crap. I should really go and tell all this to Voldemort, shouldn't I? Does he know Charlus has left?"

_"As far as I am aware, no one outside of the Order - other than you of course - knows that Charlus is not, as Lily implied, going out every day with his friends,"_  Severus told him, a grin forming on his face which told Harry that Severus was actually quite amused by Lily's attempts to hide Charlus.

"Right, better go tell Lord Voldiepuss then, huh? You coming with?"

_"No, I'll go back and keep an eye on Dumbledore, but I'll pass through and send a Peverell to you. Who do you think would be best to keep you from getting killed?"_ Severus asked him dryly as Harry stood up and started to make his way out of the library, Severus walking alongside him.

"Er… none of them? Aunty Sylv would be the best bet for that. However, out of those three, probably Ignotus. I mean, he  _did_  survive the longest, right? Yeah. Him. Antioch last. He sucks at survival," Harry added, snickering a little when Severus just rolled his eyes.

_"I shall send Ignotus to you then. If I learn anything else, I'll come straight to you. And, although I was not named your godfather, I am your sisters so I do care about what happens to you, therefore, do try to not push Lord Voldemort into finally killing you. It would be quite the waste,"_ Severus told him before he left, presumably to send Ignotus to him.

Harry just stood there for a second, before he grinned to himself and carried on his way to Voldemort's office. Luckily, it was just before he was about the enter the room, that Ignotus arrived next to him.

_"Severus told us what he told you. Are you sure you should let Voldemort know?"_

"Better I tell him now than he find out later. Come on, let's get this over with," Harry muttered, before pushing the door open and walking over to the seat that always seemed to be there. Like Voldemort was lonely and really wanted someone to regularly come visit him every day. Maybe.

Probably not.

"You have something you wished to talk about with me, Mr Peverell?" Voldemort asked him, looking his usual unimpressed self as he looked up from something he was reading when Harry sat down.

"Actually, yes, I did. Severus came to tell me something that I thought you should know."

"Indeed? Well before you tell me that, can I tell you to stop leaving bones of dead animals on seating that you have claimed as your own. It's distressing my Death Eaters and they whine to me about it. Quite frankly, I don't have any more patience to deal with them and I'll soon start running out of Death Eaters because I'm going to kill the next one that whines to me. So stop leaving dead bones around. Do you hear me? Stop it," Voldemort demanded with a snarl, which transformed into a glare when Harry just snickered.

"Okay, yeah, fine. Stop leaving chicken bones on seats. Should I tell you what I've heard now?" Harry asked, looking over at Ignotus anxiously as he started to rethink his decision to tell Voldemort about Charlus.

"Yes, about that, what is it you wish to tell me?"

"The Order has recently realised that Charlus Potter has gone missing. Dumbledore cannot find him, though he's trying to keep anyone out of the Order from finding out. However, he's starting to get desperate and has decided to try and find me once more," Harry said, practically all in one breath and so fast that Harry actually started to wonder if Voldemort has understood him in the first place.

A few moments of silence followed Harry's somewhat rambling news before Voldemort leant forward, tapping his lips with his finger and staring at Harry with narrowed eyes.

"Charlus Potter has disappeared?"

"Yes."

"Your brother?"

"Er… yes?"

"Why do I think you have something to do with this?" Voldemort drawled, moving back slightly and rubbing at his temples.

"I didn't! I've only just found out about it! Besides, why would you care? He's removed himself from the war! He was pretty much the only thing stopping you from winning anyway, right?" Harry pointed out, hoping that he'd gotten a little better at lying.

_"Somehow, I don't think that is going to pacify him as much as you're hoping,"_  Ignotus pointed out, moving around the desk slightly and leaning over Voldemort the read the parchment the man had been reading when Harry entered.

"Sadly, Dumbledore is also in my way. Though you do have a point. With Potter Jnr our of the way, it will make things easier. You said Dumbledore was going to pick up his search for you?" Voldemort asked, staring at him with his piercing red eyes. Eyes that sort of made Harry wonder if they were now genetic. Not that he'd ask. Antioch probably would have though.

_"You should see some of the plans he has here. They're really… actually, they make no sense whatsoever. He seems to write half of it in Parselscript, which is cheating. Though, your name has been mentioned a couple of times. Which is concerning. I can't really make out why you keep being mentioned though. You'll just have to stay on your guard even more now."_

Harry ignored Ignotus' muttered ramblings and instead focused on Voldemort's question and nodded. "Yeah, that's what Severus seems to think. Dumbledore tried to find my sisters as well, but they're not anywhere they can be contacted. So that leaves me. Though, to be honest, I'd have thought he'd have more chance finding my sisters than he would me," Harry pointed out, which apparently wasn't entirely welcome if he were to go by the scathing look Voldemort gave him.

"Quite. Unfortunately for you, Dumbledore doesn't share the same astute logical skills you apparently own."

"That was sarcasm, wasn't it?"

_"Oh, it was definitely sarcasm. Though it's not very Dark Lordy to pay people compliments, especially people you don't particularly like."_

"True. But it's not all that Dark Lordy being sarcastic either, is it? I mean, it's more evil overlord like to just curse people you don't like."

"Is that a suggestion, Mr Peverell?" Voldemort drawled, wand - that Harry could have sworn was not in his hand seconds before - now pointed towards him as he tapped the tip on the desk.

"What? No. No suggestion. What are you going to do about Dumbles?"

"Nothing. He's lost his weapon, so he has lost this war. As long as he does not get his hands on you. So, you will not leave this manor now until we know Dumbledore has ceased looking for you."

"What?! I'm not allowed to go anywhere?"

"You may go to the cemetery within the wards, but you will not leave the grounds. I forbid it. Consider yourself on lockdown."

"But I have things I need to do! Things that can't be done here!" Harry exclaimed, ignoring the warning look Ignotus was sending him in his fury at being essentially grounded.

"And those things are?" Voldemort drawled, smirking when Harry paused in his anger and slumped a little.

"Nothing."

"Then you can quite happily do nothing within my wards. Until you come to me with a valid reason for needing to leave, then you will stay put. If you don't, then I will take further measures to ensure you follow my rules."

"What kind of measures?" Harry asked warily, glancing at Ignotus, who was just shaking his head, before turning back to Voldemort.

"Ones that I am sure you will protest, but you will have no choice. Consider this your first and final warning. Leave my wards, and I will punish you and ensure you cannot leave them again when you return. Are we clear?"

"As crystal," Harry muttered petulantly, scowling at the ground in front of him and refusing to look at Voldemort, who was bound to be looking annoyingly smug.

"I'm glad we have an agreement. Is there anything else you wish to let me know?"

"No."

"Then you may leave. And Mr Peverell, do not forget what I said about animal bones as well," Voldemort called out just as Harry reached the door, making Harry huff in annoyance, having hoped that Voldemort would have forgotten about that after hearing about Charlus. Harry didn't say anything, only nodding his head abruptly and then leaving the office, Ignotus following silently behind him in quiet amusement.

* * *

As the days passed by, it became obvious to Harry that the Death Eaters had been informed of his 'grounding' and he was starting to feel more and more antsy the longer he felt people watching his every move.

To make matters worse, Harry noticed that Marcus had started to spend less time with him and had even gone so far as to avoid him. Which Harry could sort of understand, though that didn't make it hurt any less. Harry, however, dealt with it by spending more and more time with Barty.

Which was where he was right at that moment, almost exactly three weeks since he had pretty much been placed on house arrest. Lying across Barty's bed, head hanging over the edge and staring at Barty, who was sprawled across the small love seat in the room.

"Are you sure you can't convince him to at least let me go somewhere with you as my guide or something?" Harry asked, finally breaking the comfortable silence that had fell between them half an hour previously.

"Given I'm technically a former wanted escaped convict who is supposed to now be dead, I don't think he'd agree," Barty pointed out blandly, to which Harry made a strange wordless whine.

"Yeah, okay, good point. I'm starting to go a little stir crazy though and I may decide to do something stupid. Or just animate some chicken carcasses."

"I think that would also come under the 'something stupid' category. How exactly do you animate a chicken carcass? Is there a detailed ritual involved?" Barty asked, proving that once a Ravenclaw, always a Ravenclaw and all the torturing and bloody revelry in the world won't change that.

"Meh, for you, it would probably involve a boring and lengthy ritual that wouldn't necessarily bring about a success anyway. For me, I just have to touch them, give them a bit of my energy and then, hey presto, dancing chicken bones."

"You make them dance?"

"Not much else you can do with them, to be honest."

"And just touching them is all you really have to do?"

"Yeah, pretty much. There is a reason I'm a vegetarian, you know," Harry pointed out, getting a small nod of acknowledgement from Barty before they both fell into a contemplative silence for a few minutes.

Which, unsurprisingly, Harry broke with a loud sigh before he rolled onto his stomach with a groan and shuffled back a little so that he could rest his chin on his hands whilst looking at Barty.

"The copse outside, is that within the wards?"

"Yes," Barty told him with a wary tone to his voice, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.

"So if I were to go in there, I wouldn't be breaking Mouldy Voldie's rules?"

"No, and don't call him that. You're pushing your luck with him already, if he hears you call him any of the multitude of nicknames you've come up with, he may just Avada you and get it over with," Barty pointed out, grinning when Harry pouted at him.

"Fine, I'll stop with the nickname," Harry muttered - both well aware he only meant when he was within hearing distance of Voldemort, but Barty took that as pretty much all he was going to get.

"Good. So are you going to go do strange necromancer death magic things in the copse then?"

"Sure. Or, I'm going to sit in a tree and whine to one of the deceased Riddle's. Either works. Want to come with?"

"No, I'm good here. Have fun whining," Barty told him with a smirk, waving him away. Harry snickered and rolled off the bed, landing on his hands and knees before standing up straight.

"See you later then. Have fun torturing and killing innocent and defenceless muggles tonight. Remind Voldemort not to bring too many, if any, back here. It gives me a headache when he kills them," Harry reminded him as he walked out of the room, he was fairly certain he heard Barty agreeing behind him, and hoped Voldemort listened. He normally did.

Harry whined at him when he didn't.

* * *

A few minutes later found Harry wandering into the copse of trees on the edge of the wards and moved to the farthest end away from the manor that he could before huffing and muttering about being grounded when he was an adult, as he dragged himself into the sturdy branches of an old oak tree. As he was swinging his legs and wondering how long it would be before someone came to fetch him, Harry sensed something coming towards him and tensed, getting himself ready to run if he needed.

"Greetings, Thegn of Lord Beli." Harry glanced down at where the voice had come from and gave a small, wary smile when he saw both Amatheon and Aeron standing near the trunk of his tree. Giving a small sigh and hoping he wasn't about to be killed for desecrating a sacred tree or something - it really wouldn't surprise him - he carefully (probably more so than he would have if the god that looked like a walking human tree wasn't there) climbed down and jumped to the floor in front of them.

"Greetings, Lords," Harry greeted back politely. Just because he might be about to be killed for injustices against treekind, didn't mean he would die rude. His Aunt and mother had raised him well. "Was there something I could help you with?"

"We have come to speak with you," Aeron told him, moving to lean against a tree facing Harry whilst Amatheon moved to seemingly have a silent conversation with the oak Harry had been using as a chair (or maybe defiled…)

"About anything in particular, or just catching up?" Harry asked, wondering silently just why all his dead friends/relatives/acquaintances had seemingly decided today of all days to think him safe to leave alone. After over twenty years of  _knowing_  it was never safe to leave him on his own. Really. He was a hazard to himself.

Thankfully, Aeron seemed to find his blasé attitude amusing and just smirked at him before giving a small shrug. Which Harry didn't think was actually a move possible for gods. Surely it was beneath them to do such a plebeian and human motion.

"I have come to see if you have chosen who should fight in this upcoming war. The drums are getting louder and your time is getting shorter. So, tell me, have you made you decision?" Aeron asked him, apparently the answer to which was something even Amatheon wished to know as he stopped the possibly one-sided silent conversation with the tree and turned all his attention to Harry and Aeron.

Harry fidgeted a little under the attention and then tried to subtly lean against the oak - in a non-threatening, totally worshipful way of course - before answering, "well, I've chosen someone. I think. But I haven't actually told them yet. I should probably do that before, you know, officially naming them as the champion of the gods. That would possibly be the wise way to go about things."

"Indeed, Little Death-Taker. The Great Mother and Lord Aeron will need to know your warrior's name soon. You have until you have named the last of our brethren to let them know. We cannot afford to leave it any longer," Amatheon told him in his usual creepy, scratchy voice that somehow reminded Harry of sticks dragging through dried leaves, and generally just made Harry think of Autumn. Which was a little weird and yet also impressive for a tone of voice. Clearly a god thing.

"So a month? Tops? Is there anything else you need to tell me?" Harry asked, wondering why, if that was all they needed to talk to him about, Amatheon was there - other than the creep factor of course.

"We just came to ask about your warrior and to let you know that the fight will approach faster once all our brethren have been named. We know your Lord will have warned you against the last one, He would not be foolish enough to not have. Do not fear too much, as we will keep him in line as much as we can," Aeron told him with an amused smile that really didn't make Harry feel safe and comfortable at all. With that utterly nerve-wracking statement (and evil smirk), Aeron vanished with a soft breeze and left Harry alone with Amatheon.

"It pleases me to see that you are growing your own crops. I have given your gardens my blessings. You should see them flourishing soon," Amatheon told him randomly, seemingly not caring that Harry had no idea why the god was still there if not to scold him for defiling his trees.

"Er… thanks?"

"I was the first you named for a reason, young Nightgenga."

"Oh?" Hary asked, mentally wondering if gods ever had a conversation that smoothly flowed from one topic to the other in a seemly and logical fashion. He highly doubted it.

"Many religions believe that myself and your lord are one and the same. As I give life, he takes it away but you cannot have one without the other. Of all the gods, we two are the ones that everyone believes in and cannot change. We used to be known as the First. We two and one other. The last you will call. The one Lord Beli feels threatened by." That little titbit drew Harry's full attention to what the god was saying - not that he was being rude and ignoring the god, just sometimes, leaves moved and Harry had the attention span of a cat. A spastic one. Who was possibly deprived of oxygen in the womb.

"Threatened?"

"You are deeply entrenched in death and life. You breath in one and exhale the other. It is enchanting to the First Three. The three gods who are often interchangeable in differing cultures. The only three who do no, cannot and will not answer to another. You hold our attention and entrance us with every move you make. Lord Beli is right to be threatened. But he isn't entirely right on who he should be threatened by, Life-Giver," Amatheon told him, moving to stand right in front of Harry - who inhaled sharply and found he couldn't exhale at all as he stared into the god's strange bicolored green eyes. Spring and Autumn. His eyes reminded Harry of the beginning and end of harvest. One a bright, healthy dark green and the other a more brown-yellow shade of green. And really, Harry wondered just why he was taking so much notice of the god's eyes when said god was apparently hitting on him.

Maybe. Or considering Harry as the perfect morsel for his next meal.

"O-oh?" Harry asked in a high-pitched voice, clearing his throat and trying to take a step back but cursing when he came against a tree. That damned oak he possibly sullied with his mortal feet. Well, partially mortal. Mostly mortal. Mortal where it counts at least.

"Indeed. You are fascinating to us and yet you are steadfastly loyal to Death. How loyal, I wonder. The third will also wonder. Can we sway your loyalties towards a different aspect of life? Can  _I_?" Amatheon asked, reaching out a rough, bracken entwined hand to brush against Harry's cheek before he pulled back with a deep and somewhat wry chuckle. "It would seem my brother has noticed by interest in you."

Harry glanced over Amatheon's should with a confused frown and noticed that the foliage around them was slowly shrivelling up and dying, as though he was watching a drought of months happen in a few seconds. His attention was quickly drawn back by Amatheon however when the god placed a calloused finger over Harry's mouth.

"I shall have to try and sway you towards my path another time then. Do not let my silver-tongued brother get to you before I truly get a chance," Amatheon told him just seconds before there was a dangerous hissing coming from the larger looking - and still growing - shadows that were reaching out to them from the swiftly dying trees and a harsh breeze ruffled the leaves growing around Amatheon's body. Harry didn't have time to even think of a response, never mind give one, before Amatheon was roughly dragged into the shadows with a rough and harsh chuckle.

Harry leaned heavily against the now severely unhealthy looking oak, as the trees around him slowly gained a little of the life they had lost and the sounds of nature - that Harry hadn't even noticed had disappeared - starting to come back. Really, Harry wondered if the gods playing with him was just their way of killing him off slowly in the most unique and interesting way they could think of.

On the plus side, almost killing an entire copse of trees in anger (maybe) completely trumped any possible desecration Harry had caused by climbing it. So there was that.

Now he just had to talk to his chosen Warrior. Oh, and name three more gods. One of which had apparently started a strange competition for Harry's loyalties without even meeting him.

Great.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N - So! No idea where the hell that came from. Only, it occurred to me that the reasons for the upcoming gods interest in Harry would surely be a reason for Amatheon to find Harry intriguing. So yeah. There won't, by the way, be any threesome with Harry and two gods. Gods don't share. *Snickers* Anyone wondering what Beli is doing to Amatheon right now? Heh.
> 
> Sorry this chapter took so long by the way! I don't really have an excuse other than I was equal parts lazy and busy (mad skills. Lol). Still, hopefully you liked this chapter! Things are hopefully starting to pick up a little now, though this was more a filler chapter. 
> 
> Anyone have any ideas on who Harry has chosen as his warrior? Please note that Harry didn't give any indication on the gender of said warrior. *Grins* Oh, and if you were wondering/fearing. Harry isn't immortal. He pondered over what to call his mortality because he isn't technically completely alive given he has willingly given part of his soul over to the afterlife. 
> 
> The Omega symbol used as Beli's signature is my homage to the amazing and greatly missed Terry Pratchett. Don't be too shocked if Binky makes a random appearance either… *snickers* 
> 
> Fact of the Chapter: Apparently, it's totally possible for a cat to put on half a kilo in under a week if it means totally humiliating their owner at the vets by making them look like they're paranoid and making up illnesses for said cat. *Mutters* Half a bloody kilo! Even the vet was bloody stunned! 
> 
> Actual Fact of the Chapter: The royal astronomer Sir John Herschel came up with the idea of contact lenses in 1827. They weren't actually manufactured until sixty years later in 1887, by a German physiologist called Adolf Fick. *Bows at the sheer randomness of the fact*
> 
> Handy tip of the chapter: Ever get astronomy and astrology mixed up? Well, a great comedian gave a brilliant way to remember. There's an awesome astro-physicist called Professor Brian Cox (not to be confused with the actor of the same name without the PhD) who is rather dishy (in my opinion). So, Professor Brian Cox = AstroNOMy = Om nom nom, Brian Cox. Astrology = Load of bollocks. 
> 
> (Anyone seen Jurassic World yet? It's awesome in my opinion! Go see it! And then maybe write a HP crossover with it? Please? *Wide eyes* Pretty please?)


	19. Chapter Eighteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why do Slash authors always get moaned at for not warning for slash? How come Het authors don't have to warn for het? I mean, you're reading a decent fic and then suddenly Harry's feeling up Ginny and you've thrown up your teacake… Give us a bloody warning for het and we'll give you warnings for slash. Deal? Otherwise, I'm gonna stop giving a warning and see how you feel when Harry cops off with another male. *Nods*

Chapter Eighteen

A week after the, frankly, confusing and disturbing meeting Harry had had with the two gods, and he was still wondering about what the hell had happened and why he felt slightly uncomfortable whenever he even thought about Amatheon. Though he wasn't entirely sure why.

However, he didn't really have any time to spend wondering what was going on with the insane gods that he had named as he had two new gods to name (and really, two more was  _exactly_  what he needed at this point) and he had no idea how he was going to leave Riddle Manor when he was still, technically, on house arrest.

_"Have you considered asking the twitchy one?"_ Harry looked up from the book he was pretending to read in he library to glance at Ignotus, before returning back to the book.

"You know his name, Ignotus, why do you pretend you don't? And I suppose I could, but would he agree? It's not like there's anything in it for him, is there?" Harry muttered, glancing out the corner of his eye as he noticed a death eater he didn't know the name of wandering around the library. Though Harry was mildly amused to notice said death eater made sure to keep at least a foot between himself and the table Harry was sitting at.

_"You could pretend that you'll curse him if he doesn't help you. Though I suppose you're too nice for that,"_  Ignotus added with a sneer at Harry, which Harry just returned with a bright smile.  _"Just ask him and see what he says. If he says no, then we'll just have to come up with another idea. Or you'll just have to leave and not return."_

"Well, you do have a point there. Though let's leave that as a last resort. Anyway, it's not like Voldie-boots isn't aware that Yule is in two days. He's a bright man, surely he knows this. It's not like it's an obscure celebration, is it?"

_"And you don't think Voldemort will wonder why you can't celebrate on the premises? After all, you did with the other holidays."_

"Ah, you do have a point. Well, fine, we'll just have to work on our original plan then. So… where is Barty?" Harry asked, closing the book he hadn't really been reading in the first place but had put there as he figured it'd be weird sitting at a table in the library without one.

_"I believe he is in his room, avoiding Flint after having questioned the man about his behaviour with you,"_ Cadmus said walking into the library just as Harry had asked his question.

"Have you been stalking Barty, Cad?" Harry asked, amused at the thought and standing up to follow Cadmus as the spirit lead them to where he'd last seen Barty.

_"Well, you have to admit that the man is amusing. Strange, admittedly, but still very amusing. And interesting."_ Cadmus told him shamelessly, to which Harry silently agreed with him. And not so silently, it wasn't like Harry hid his fondness of Barty.

"So… why did Barty confront Marcus?"

_"Because Marcus is being a reprehensible moronic sorry specimen of humankind with the way he is treating you?"_ Ignotus suggested calmly, getting a grin from Cadmus and a scowl from Harry.

"That was a little cruel."

_"Yes, well, sometimes the truth hurts. And Ignotus is right, Flint has no right to treat you the way he has been doing. You are allowed to turn down whoever you wish. That, apparently, is something no one ever told him. Now, why exactly are we heading to young Barty?"_

"Oh, I need to talk to him about Yule. You know."

_"Ah yes, I suppose you would probably do well to get an alibi of sorts. Can you not just ask Voldemort if you could leave to perform a ritual?"_

"Tell Nosy McNosison? No, I don't think so," Harry said with a firm shake of the head, just in case Cadmus and Ignotus hadn't quite gotten the message. He then turned and knocked on Barty's door, before walking in when Barty called out. "Hey, Barty!"

"Harry! Is everything alright? Do you… did we have a meeting that I forgot?" Barty asked, looking up from a book that he had been reading on his bed and moving to sit up straight to face him.

"No… did we? Did we?" Harry asked a second time, turning to face Cadmus and Ignotus before shrugging and spinning back round to face Barty. "Let's say no and then entire of us forgot!"

"Okay… so why are you here?"

"Oh! Yes, I have a favour to ask of you, though you're totally free to say no," Harry added, moving further into the room and closing the door behind him when Barty moved from the bed and tilted his head to motion Harry over to the chairs in the room.

"Right, well what did you want to ask of me?" Barty asked once they had both sat down and made themselves comfortable, unaware of the two spirits wandering around his room and generally being nosy.

Harry shuffled a little in his seat, glancing at the brothers quickly before looking down at his hands in his lap. "Well, I need to go somewhere next week on Yule and I sort of need you to be my alibi?"

"You want me to cover for you should my lord ask for you?"

"Basically? Yes."

"Ah, what would I tell him should he ask for you?"

"No idea. I mean, chances are he wouldn't ask for me, right? But should he, for some unknown reason, then just er… cover for me?"

"I suppose I could just tell him that you're speaking with some spirits in that copse of trees you like. Maybe the day before we can decorate it for Yule celebrations and make it so there's a blind spot there that could feasibly be where you'd be. How long do you think you'll be gone?"

Harry shrugged and glanced at Ignotus questioningly, hoping the spirit could give him an idea at least, given he really had no idea how long he generally took when he'd named the previous gods.  _"Tell him a couple of hours. Just to be safe."_

"Okay! We think it shouldn't take much longer than two or three hours, tops. It probably won't even take that long, but just to be on the safe side. Do you think we can do that?" Harry asked, fidgeting nervously and silently praying that Barty agreed to this.

"That's fine. Think you can sort out some decorations in a week or will you need my help?"

"Yeah, shouldn't be too hard. Thank you for this, Barty! You're a lifesaver! I promise, anything I can do to help you in the future, just ask!" Harry chirped happily, bouncing up from his seat to give Barty a quick hug before practically skipping over to the door, clearing his throat pointedly when it looked like neither Ignotus nor Cadmus would be following him out.

"No problem, Harry. Ask me if you need help with the decorations and in the mean time, I'll just lay the groundwork so people aren't too stunned that we'll be celebrating at least part of Yule together," Barty told him with a small grin on his face as he watched Harry seemingly usher two invisible people out of his room.

"Okay! Thank you again, Barty! See you later!" Harry told him with a wide smile as he followed Ignotus and Cadmus out of the room, letting the door close behind him. "Well, that went better than I had even dared hope."

_"Indeed. You had better start making a few Yule garlands. Perhaps ask Barty if he can ward an area so you can safely burn the Yule Log and leave it unattended,"_  Ignotus suggested, with Cadmus nodding his agreement next to his brother.

"Okay, sounds like a good idea. Hey, where's Ant?"

* * *

On the evening before Harry would be naming two more gods, he and Barty were standing in the small copse of trees on the Riddle property, glancing around it and with two black bags stuffed with decorative items Harry had made over the previous days.

"So Voldie-Boots thinks I'm going to be in here all day and that it's because of religious beliefs that I cannot have contact with anyone outside of my religion other than one chosen vessel, which would be you?" Harry asked for the third time, voice getting increasingly more disbelieving each time and Barty's usual twitchy look of amusement actually starting to fade into annoyance.

"Yes."

"And he  _believed_  you?! How has he lasted this long without dying because, I don't know, he forgot to breathe and walk at the same time?"

"It's not that hard to believe. Besides, he probably didn't completely believe me but accepted it as a decent excuse not to have to deal with you for a whole twenty-four hours."

"I've got to be out here for twenty-four hours?! It's December! I'll bloody die!" Harry exclaimed, arms flailing in the air even whilst Barty just stared at him, annoyance fading back to twitchy amusement once more.

"You could use warming charms."

"Yes, you're right, I could. If I had  _magic!_  Hello! I'm a squib! So unless you can get your hands on a mythical wand that was allegedly created by Death, I'm not going to be performing any miraculous instances of magic," Harry pointed out with a huff, before crossing his arms over his chest and pouting, pointedly ignoring the disapproving look Antioch was giving him.

"Right, well. I'll cast a warming charm on you and you'll be fine. Now, how are we supposed to be decorating this place?" Barty asked, looking from the bags at their feet to the trees surrounding them.

"Oh! Yes, I've made some garlands, they're pretty similar to the ones I made for Mabon. We should go put a couple of offerings on some of the graves as well. Well, I should. The dead don't really help you, so you don't need their blessing. But could you do me a favour?" Harry asked as he crouched down by a smaller satchel bag by his feet and rummaged inside of it.

"Depends on the favour."

"Right, could you charm these in some way so that no one alive but me can touch them?" Harry asked, holding up two rather large emeralds and one large diamond, the three stones could barely fit on Harry's hand and so had to use both hands to cup them. Barty glanced at them and then looked again before gaping at Harry.

"Where the hell did you get those from?" Barty exclaimed, looking at the three stones in Harry's hands in complete disbelief.

"Oh, that's not really all that important, let's just say I know someone who could direct me towards some lost and forgotten about treasure that came in handy. Did you really think my little bakery that only serves a handful of customers a day could support me without any other income?" Harry asked with great amusement when Barty just looked a little sheepish and then shrugged. "Speaking of my bakery, I really do need to sort something out so the villagers don't start to panic. I mean, yeah, they're used to me taking off for long amounts of time, but never longer than two months at most."

"Currently they're under a sort of charm that prevents them from getting too curious about your absence. My Lord isn't completely unaware that muggles going AWOL would be missed."

"AWOL? Wizards have that terminology? Really?"

"Wizards? No. But you do tend to come across muggle acronyms online and I do have muggle qualifications with technology. I like muggle technology, that is how I found out about you after all, remember?"

"Oh yeah. I forgot I'm in this mess pretty much because of you. Cheers for the reminder. So? Can you charm them against sticky fingers?" Harry asked once more, jiggling the stones in his hands to get Barty's attention back on track.

"Yes, I can charm them against theft. About this lost treasure, is there more?"

"Why, interested?"

"Who wouldn't be interested in numerous riches?" Barty said with a smirk even as he tapped each stone with his wand, making each one light up briefly in turn.

"Good point. Sadly, I won't be telling you where they are buried. It wouldn't do you any good, anyway. Laws have changed since I dragged my aunt off to find treasure. Now you have to declare it," Harry told him with a shrug, deciding not to mention that he and his aunt had skilfully avoided having to declare some of their find due to it not technically counting as treasure. He'd checked.

_"Yes, because that'll stop a Death Eater. Muggle Law,"_  Ignotus drawled, making Harry jump and turn to look at the spririt, who he hadn't noticed standing behind him, then grin sheepishly and shrug.

"Point. Ah well," Harry added with quick grin before he turned back to Barty, who was now holding a fist sized flawed emerald to his eye. "So no one can steal them from me now, yeah?"

"No one can touch them, never mind stealing them. What are they for?" Barty asked him, handing back the stones to Harry. Harry took them back and then turned to walk out of the copse, looking over his shoulder at Barty as he did so.

"They're sort of offerings. Grab that bag as you pass, would you?" Harry asked, pointing to the black bag nearest to Barty's feet and grinned when Barty did as asked.

_"You should probably ensure Tom Riddle Snr gets the diamond, you know what he's like,"_  Ignotus muttered with a roll of his eyes as he walked next to Harry, Barty humming softly under his breath as he followed behind.

"Everyone dead knows what he's like. You can just dump the bag there, cheers!" Harry said once they had passed a few headstones.

"Now what?"

"Now we dress the graves. Just er… wander around and drape the simple garlands on a few graves that call out to you. Leave the three dressy garlands, I'll be dealing with those ones," Harry told him with a grin before he grabbed one of the fancier garlands, one that had holly and oak leaves entwined with mistletoe and laurel braided together and had small thistles dotted throughout, he had finished this one off with elaborate bows of green and gold ribbon.

Nodding decisively at the garland, Harry made his way to Tom Riddle Snr's grave and placed it over the headstone before placing the emerald and sapphire on the ground then kissing the diamond and touching it to his forehead, closing his eyes and whispering a small prayer of thanks to Lord Beli, then placed it just in front of the headstone.

_"I accept your gift on this sacred day, the stone will receive my blessing. Good luck later, by the way. Cadmus is still bragging that it's his descendant that was chosen by the gods. It's beginning to get annoying. Apparently chosen by the gods trumps destroying Wizarding Britain,"_  Tom grumbles making Harry's lips twitch with amusement, though he was smart enough to not comment and give a small nod of acknowledgement before wandering back to the remaining garlands and choosing the other fancy garland, this one with red and white ribbons, and walked over to Ranulph's grave.

Harry glanced at Barty to see the man grinning inanely - Harry wondered why the man was grinning, it wasn't like he could see or hear any of the residents of the graves he was decorating - and then sighed and knelt down at Ranulph's grave. He repeated the same process at the grave, only this time leaving behind one of the emeralds before standing up, wincing when his knees clicked a little. Surely he was too young for that kind of crap, but apparently his body disagreed.

_"Hey, Thomas! My emerald is bigger than your diamond! And you know I accept your thanks and will help you celebrate the rebirth of the sun on this night by blessing the emerald you have left me. May it bring you luck and aid you in your future rituals. Personally, I think it'll make a really nice dagger. Sure, it'll be smaller than normal, but it'll be large enough to cut your fingertips when needed, especially if you use that large piece of petrified rowan that I blessed for you a few years back as the handle and possibly bind them together somehow with some silver. Or possibly iron. Ooh, iron would be good."_

"Doesn't iron negate most energies?" Harry mused, glancing at Ranulph as he slowly wandered over to where Barty - and Ignotus, not that the death eater knew it - were standing, brushing his fingers over headstones as he passed.

_"Normally, yes, but in this case, it should work quite nicely. You won't be using it as a channel, so that won't be an issue. In fact, the more common properties of iron would actually be helpful as it'll mean that the blood from the cuts made with that blade would only channel your own energy, so outside influences would be blocked out."_

"You make a good point. So how's things been down under?"

_"You make it sound like I've been vacationing in New Holland,"_  Ranulph drawled, making Harry stare at him in confusion.

"You know, nowadays we call it Australia. Fairly certain they did in your day as well," Harry pointed out, silently wondering just when they did start calling it something else. "New Holland does have a nice ring to it though, doesn't it?"

_"Why do you think I still call it that? What are your plans for the rest of the night until you have to leave?"_ Ranulph asked him, seeming to lean against a headstone as they both stood and waited for Barty to finish with the last of the garlands.

"Oh, you know, sit in a draughty, cold copse of trees and wonder about my lifestyle choices. I should probably send a small wish of thanks and goodwill to Lord Beli as well,"

_"Yes, because He is exactly the type to want thanks and goodwill. What time do you have to go summon the newest Old Ones?"_

"No idea. Thankfully, I will know when the time actually comes. The same can't be said about about the one I've got to name on the new year. Which new year, exactly? Are we thinking pagan or christian?" Harry asked, throwing his hands in the air in frustration.

"What's the difference and why does it matter?" Harry wasn't ashamed - much - to admit that he shrieked like a little girl when Barty spoke up behind him.

"When the hell did you get behind me? And it doesn't matter, I guess."

"Fine. But really, what's the difference?"

"Now? Not much; at the birth of Christianity, so to speak, in Europe there's a difference of about two months. Give or take a day or two. Christians didn't like to celebrate it on January first because they claimed it was too pagan or something. I dunno, you'd be amazed how much someone who's been dead for over a millennia can whine about the injustice of religion. So, shall we go set up the copse then? Make it so no one can see me er… celebrating?" Harry asked when he noticed the empty bag in Barty's hand.

"Yeah, we should do that. Do you know how long you'll be out here?"

"Not a clue," Harry admitted, following behind Barty as they made their way back to the trees.

"Then I guess we're in for a wait," Barty said, not seeing Harry nod his head with a mournful look behind him. "Know how to play poker?"

"Taught by the best! Well… the dead."

* * *

Barty left Harry in the now enclosed small clearing in the copse around fifteen minutes before midnight, leaving with a few winnings from Harry, including an IOU for several herbs that Harry grew and were apparently thought rare in the wizarding world and were used in several useful potions and for one large ruby. Apparently the strange older man like rubies.

And was also suspiciously good at poker.

Approximately twenty minutes after Barty had left Harry alone, Cadmus appeared in the clearing, interrupting a game of Gin Rummy that Harry, Ignotus and Ranolph had going.

_"Whisperings are saying that it is time for you to name the next two gods."_

"Right. And do these whispers tell you where I need to go to name them?" Harry asked, silently thankful that the game had come to an end as he was losing yet again and his ego really couldn't take anymore losses.

_"Maen Ceti, which is found in Glamorgan. Make the gate and I'll use some of my energy to connect you to the right place. Luckily for you, it's a tomb so I can take you straight there,"_  Cadmus added, getting a nod from Harry as he nibbled on his lip and looked around him for the right tree to use. A tree that was old and happened to have been placed as a burial marker. Admittedly, it was a marker for a beloved dog, but dead is dead. Didn't matter the species.

"Glamorgan? Right, so Scotland then," Harry said with a nod, not noticing the deadpan stare that the three spirits gave him as he was busy kneeling in front of the right tree and starting to draw the right runes.

_"Glamorgan is in Wales,"_  Ignotus told him, disdain clear in his voice and rolling his eyes when Harry gave a sheepish chuckle and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Really? Huh. Sounds Scottish. Okay… so I'll just er… change this rune. Cad, you said you knew where I was going, right?"

_"Yes, it's a good thing one of us does. Just… tap into my energy, it'll be quicker,"_  Cadmus muttered, moving to stand just behind Harry and placing a hand on his right shoulder.

"Yeah, probably a good idea," Harry mumbled, his cheeks still a little red from embarrassment. It really wasn't his fault he was directionally challenged. Turning his attention back to the gate, Harry concentrated on the energy Cadmus was sending him and giving a small triumphant smile when the gate swiftly connected. Hopefully to the right place. "Right, see you on the other side."

Stepping through the gate, Harry appeared in a slightly overgrown, craggy field with a crude chamber tomb formed of several large rocks seemingly in the middle of it. "This is the right place, yeah?"

_"Yes, this is the right place. Now stop dawdling and call them to you. Remember, you're calling two of them,"_  Cadmus told him, having appeared through the gate along with Ignotus soon after Harry.

"Fine, fine. Let's do this, shall we?" Harry muttered, looking at the chamber in front of him before shrugging and kneeling next to it, closing his eyes as he concentrated on calling two more gods to him. He silently prayed none of them had the same creepy fascination with him that a couple of the previous gods had. Namely Amatheon.

He was kneeling there, concentrating on the pull he had with death and the gods for a good few minutes before a soft male voice interrupted him,  _"So you're the little Nightgenga that our fellow gods were named by. I kind of expected someone taller."_

Harry looked up and gaped at the two beings in front of him. They were both taller than him, standing at about five foot seven and had tanned skin that was enhanced by the white blonde hair that they both had. They both also had strange, pupil-less bright blue eyes that looked like the opposite of Harry's own. He wondered if they could share their overabundance of iris with him. He'd gladly share some of his pupils with them. The strangest thing about the two was that they were wearing modern clothing. And Harry was certain the male had a Batman necklace on, but he could have imagined that.

"And I thought you'd speak old English. I guess we were both mislead by our imaginations," Harry muttered, wincing a second later as his common sense - or Ignotus - hissed at him, reminding him just  _who_  he was speaking to. "Sorry."

_"No need to apologise. You're right, my brother and I are somewhat more connected to this time even though we have slept almost as long as our cousins. Due to our jurisdictions, so to speak, we are more in touch with the changes of time."_

"Right, okay. Well, I guess the polite thing would be for me to name you both before we continue with this conversation. So, welcome Mabon," Harry said, nodding his head slightly at the male and then turning and doing the same to the female, "Modron."

_"Well met, little death lord,"_ Modron said with a small smile, nodding her head back in greeting to Harry. Mabon just smirked and made a peace sign, chuckling when Harry couldn't help but gape.

_"God of Youth. I'm down with the kids."_

"The fact you said that totally means you're not, you know that, right?" Harry deadpanned, grinning despite himself. He really couldn't help but like the strange god. "Wait, you said he was your brother. How come all the texts about you claim you're his mother?"

_"Texts have been known to be wrong."_

"Good point. So… how come I'm summoning you at Yule and not your festival day of Mabon?" Harry asked, looking to the god of the same name for the answer and getting a shrug in response. Before Modron huffed and elbowed her brother in the stomach much to Harry's amusement.

_"Fine, fine. I'll play nice with the little Nightgenga. In answer to your question, you had a closer link to Amatheon and Beli due to your nature. Given Lord Beli has never had the need to be reawakened and named, that meant the next one who could ask for your attention and help would be Amatheon. It just so happened that the opportune time for that was on the day of Mabon. Of course, gossip says that Amatheon really wants to make that connection to you even closer. How's Daddy Death taking that?"_ Mabon asked with a leer, smirking when Harry blinked at him in shock.

"Gods are weird, you know that? All of you. I think immortality just makes you all a bit crazy. Kind of like magic with wizards," Harry muttered, blushing a little at the mere thought of Amatheon and his strange flirting.

_"Probably. Really though, how did Lord Beli react?"_ Mabon asked and even Modron looked eager to know the answer judging by the amused look on her face and how she moved closer to them both.

"I don't know! Why would He care if someone was interested in me? Which they're not, by the way, Amatheon was just being weird. Though it was strange how he seemed to get dragged off into the shadows," Harry mumbled before shrugging and turning back to look at the two strange gods before him.

_"Right, I think my brother is actually right for once and I truly cannot wait to actually witness Lord Beli being all protective with my own eyes. No wonder the gods were all whispering about you, little death lord. We should probably leave you now though, however should you need us then we will be happy to help you if we can,"_ Modron told him, ignoring the indignant look Mabon shot her.

_"We will?"_

_"Yes, you wish to take entertainment in the little necromancer's upcoming love life and how Lord Beli will deal with it, the least you can do for that entertainment is to help him in other issues,"_  Mordon told her brother with narrowed eyes, a look that even made Harry wonder if he should also agree to whatever she wanted.

_"Fine fine, I'll help as well. It was nice meeting you, Nightgenga. Thank you for naming us and my sister is correct, call for us should you need our help."_

"Er… you're welcome? And do you think you could stop calling me a demon? Because I'm pretty sure I'm not one," Harry requested, only to sigh when the god just winked at him in response before disappearing, leaving Harry and Modron behind.

_"I will try to get him to stop calling you that, little one, but I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you. Remember to call for us should you need us. Oh, and in answer to your query earlier in the night, the next Old One to be named should be the eve of the Pagan New Year. Your Lord will be able to tell you more in a day or so but I would not worry too much. You'll know when the time is right. And don't let anyone else influence your thoughts about Him. The only thoughts and opinions that truly matter are your own. Good night, Thegn."_  Modron then bowed and left before Harry could give her any response. He was left alone - if you ignored the two silent spirits behind him - wondering just what she meant by only his own opinion mattered.

_"That was certainly the interesting meeting. However, I feel it would be prudent to head back to Little Hangleton now before your absence is noticed. You should be safe for a few more hours, but it better to be safe than sorry. Wizards have never been known to respect the beliefs of anyone but themselves, so it would not surprise me if someone ignored Barty's comment that you had to be left alone for part of the night,"_ Ignotus said, walking to stand next to Harry along with Cadmus.

"He was technically lying though."

_"They don't know that though. Now make the gate and we can head back. Do not forget also that Aeron gave you a deadline also. The Pagan New Year is only a little over a week away. Do not leave it too late."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N - So… this was a little late, huh? Yeah… I don't really have an excuse except life got in the way (and er… Jurassic Park fanfics…). Hopefully the long wait didn't detract too much from the chapter! And yeah, I totally lied in the last chapter. You'll find out who the champion is in the next chapter (it was technically supposed to be the end of this one, but the next chapter is looking a little short so I pushed it over to that one… heh).
> 
> Did you enjoy this chapter? And hey, look! Gods that speak modern English! They're the god of youth and goddess of fertility if you were wondering, by the way. 
> 
> Fact of the chapter: the author of this fic giggles like a schoolgirl every time the commentators of American Football talk about Tight Ends… *snickers* Seriously, every time. It doesn't help that in my head, I think 'yeah it is…' *coughs* 
> 
> Actual Fact of the Chapter: All British tanks since 1945 have been equipped with tea making facilities. Don't ever let it be said that we Brits do not know our priorities. Tea is life. *Nods*


	20. Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen

Harry felt like he was walking to world's weirdest walk of shame as he slowly pushed the doors to Riddle Manor open on the morning after he'd named Mabon and Modron. He gave a small wince and shushed the door - feeling a bit like a moron when he realised he was shushing an inanimate object - when it creaked quietly, then slipped inside once he'd determined that the gap was big enough for him and pushed the door shut behind him.

 _"You could just ask us if there was anyone around, you know,"_  Ignotus pointed out, and Harry only just caught himself from shushing the spirit as well, quickly realising that he was actually the only one able to hear Ignotus and thus there was really no risk of Ignotus waking anyone up.

"Fine, is anyone awake and or waiting for me?" Harry whispered, looking around the entrance hall as he tiptoed towards the stairs.

_"No one is awake currently as it's four thirty in the morning. The only reason you're awake is because Barty's heating charm wore off. Of course, that may change soon enough, as the more you try to be quiet, the louder you seem to get. So it is probably for the best if you get to your room as soon as you can."_

"Good point. Will you wake me in a couple of hours? I have things I need to do today. After all, I only have until New Years Eve to name my chosen Warrior," Harry muttered, quickly and quietly darting up the stairs until he got to his floor and then slowly tiptoed down the hall to his room, finally breathing a sigh of relief when he eventually closed his door shut behind him without having been caught. Not that anyone knew he was technically guilty of anything, given everyone assumed he had been in the copse all night.

 _"I'll wake you in about six hours time, okay? Get some sleep. You'll need to be refreshed in order to speak to your warrior,"_  Ignotus told him, only getting a yawn in response from Harry. Harry then nodded and climbed into his bed, not bothering changing out of his Yule robes, and falling asleep.

* * *

 _"Waking you up is much easier now that I can actually touch you without you having to concentrate on me first, though it is less fun."_  Harry grumbled wordlessly and moved his head under his pillow to avoid Ignotus' prodding, but the annoying spirit just decided to prod him in the ribs instead of his forehead.  _"Need I remind you that you were the one to actually ask me to wake you up."_

"Fine. I'm up. Let me get changed and then we can hunt down Barty. Do you know where he is, by the way?" Harry asked, yawning and stretching as he got out of bed and made his way to the en-suite.

 _"I believe he is in the library looking for something for Voldemort. He's probably sticking around the manor so that he can talk to you about last night,"_  Ignotus told him through the bathroom door, for once actually giving Harry some privacy and making Harry wonder if it was a blue moon that month.

"Probably. That does make things easier for me though. I'm guessing Goldie-Voldie didn't suspect either of us of anything last night then, given Barty's still alive and no one was waiting up for me when I got in," Harry said around the toothbrush in his mouth, mentally apologising to whatever house elf cleaned up his room when he saw the little dots of toothpaste on the mirror.

 _"Surprisingly, he didn't suspect a thing. I have no idea what that says about the man as you could hardly call him trusting even a little._ "

"Well, let's not look a gift horse in the mouth," Harry said, walking out of the bathroom and heading to the wardrobe in his room, before pausing with a frown and looking at Ignotus, "why would someone want to look a gift horse in the mouth anyway? That saying makes no sense."

_"There used to be a time when animals, such as horses, were traded for goods instead of money. It was a show of good faith to accept that the horse you were given was healthy, and thus you wouldn't look into its mouth to check its teeth for example. Happy now? Shall we go talk to your champion now that your curiosity has been sated?"_

"Every day's a school day and all that jazz. Let's go find Barty then. And he's technically not my champion, he's the Old God's Champion. And that's only if he accepts."

_"What if he doesn't? Don't you think you should have at least come up with one back up?"_

"Good point. We better pray he doesn't refuse. And honestly, can you think of anyone better than Barty? Especially now that The Great Mother has cleansed his magic and mind of the damage Azkaban did to him," Harry pointed out as the two left his room and headed towards the library.

 _"You do have a good point. Especially now that your brother has officially removed himself from any and all wars. It does help that Barty has been blessed by The Great Mother and therefore finds it easier to believe in Her,"_ Ignotus admitted, following behind Harry as they passed the odd Death Eater on their way to the library.

"That it does, fingers crossed it works in our favour then," Harry muttered before smiling brightly and skipping over to where Barty was sitting, snickering mentally when the other death eater at the table quickly grabbed his book and left the library. "Morning, Barty!"

"Harry. How'd last night go once I left you?"

"It went alright… Listen, Barty, are you doing anything right now?" Harry asked, moving to sit in the seat opposite where Barty was sitting, getting Barty's full attention as the man shut the book he was reading.

"I'm free… Why?"

"Do you think I could speak to you about something in private?" Harry asked, looking around the room and spotting several Death Eaters around them.

"We could go to my rooms, if you want?" Barty asked, following Harry's gaze to two younger death eaters sitting at another table in the room, the two occasionally glancing over at Harry warily. They both paled slightly when they noticed both Harry and Barty were watching them.

"If you keep it a secret, I'll take you to my hidey hole in here, you can just bewitch it to be silent or something," Harry said with a shrug, not taking his eyes off the now nervously twitching pair of death eaters.

"There's a secret room in here? Okay, you've got my attention. I'll even cast a spell over us so no one pays us too much attention. Lead the way," Barty said, standing up from the table and tapping his wand on Harry and then himself. Harry assumed he'd done something but he had no idea if that was actually true.

Still, Harry just shrugged and led Barty to the aisle where his cubby hole was located. Harry quickly glanced around them to make sure there was no one else about to notice where they were going - not that it wasn't totally obvious should anyone have noticed that the two had gone down a row of books and seemingly vanished - but Harry always wanted to be in a spy movie, and he did have a small amount of trust that Barty really had done something to make them less noticeable. Pushing the wall away, Harry grinned when he saw Barty's intrigued look and waved him into the secret space.

"This is quite impressive for a muggle dwelling," Barty murmured, looking around the small space and the few books Harry had smuggled in there before he walked over to where Harry was standing next to the now closed wall. "Would you like me to make it so the room is soundproof?"

"Please," Harry said, watching as Barty once more waved his wand, only this time over the false wall, which actually glowed slightly before Barty turned back to face him and they sat down in the two seats in the room.

"So what did you want to talk to me about?" Barty asked after a few minutes of silence in which Harry fidgeted and watched Barty give the occasional twitch.

With a sigh, Harry fidgeted once more before settling in his seat and looked at Barty, wondering how to ask the man.

 _"Have you not asked him yet? How hard could it be? Just tell the man the gods want him to be their warrior in the upcoming war. Simple,"_  Ignotus said, walking into the room from whatever he'd been doing in the library. Harry just glared at the spirit before turning back to Barty.

"Right, so you know I've been disappearing randomly over the past couple of months. Well, I've been going off to do something important. See, the thing is, there's a war coming our way and it isn't the one your current lord is orchestrating right now," Harry said, noticing Barty's focus sharpened as he clearly recognised how serious Harry was at that moment.

"And you were doing something for this war?"

"I was calling the main players, so to speak. See, the thing is, wizards have sort of forgotten their place in the world and there are beings waking that are not impressed with you. This war was inevitable really and there's nothing anyone can do to stop it," Harry told him with a shrug, fully aware that he was probably stalling slightly.

"So what did you need to talk to me about? And who are the main players? Though I could take a guess," Barty admitted, narrowing his eyes at Harry when Harry fidgeted slightly.

"You'd probably be right in your guess. It's the gods, the forgotten ones. They're fed up of being ignored and thought of as nothing more than myth. I was given the task of calling them. There's only one more left for me to name. However, I was given a task that I need to accomplish before I name the final god," Harry told him, getting to the main point of the conversation.

"What task was that? I'm assuming it has something to do with me?"

"You're right. I was tasked with finding them a warrior. Someone who could hear them and follow their wishes. Fight for them without showing their hand. I'm no good. I'm not a warrior, I belong to one god - the one god who no other god would cross - and they all know that, so they asked me to find them a suitable warrior. And I did. You. Barty, you'd be perfect to be the chosen warrior of the gods. You can say no, but I can't think of anyone better."

Barty stared at Harry silently, whilst Harry nibbled on his lip and silently preyed that Barty agreed to it. He really didn't have anyone else to ask.

"What would I have to do if I agreed to this?"

Harry gave a small sigh of relief that Barty hadn't turned him down straight away before he answered, "they'd give you tasks to accomplish to help them get their message across. It'll be a silent war on their behalf, the war the wizards are currently waging will help them really. You'll be expected to tell them of any advances either side makes, and you'll probably be given a task or two to work with me. You'll be their warrior in the shadows, so to speak. Probably sway things and change timings of strikes and such to maximise the impact and turn the war in the direction they want it to go. Don't be fooled, they won't lose it," Harry warned, hoping Barty understood that if he stayed with Voldemort, he'd be on the losing side.

"What would your job be?"

"I'm a necromancer. I do what my Lord asks of me. I don't fight, that isn't something necromancers do. We don't take lives. We don't give life. We watch and we sometimes help to give comfort to those that have passed. Most of all, we don't interfere with the living. I'm not truly alive, nor am I dead. I'm in-between. So my job in all of this will be to observe and lend aid when I can. But I'll only ever do anything that will ultimately help Death in the end. He's the only one who has my full allegiance. The other gods are aware of that," Harry told him, shrugging as he wasn't really too sure what he could tell Barty, and he glanced at Ignotus for any advice the spirit might give him.

_"What you've told him should be sufficient. There isn't really anything more that you can tell him."_

"So I'd basically be a spy for the gods?" Barty asked and Harry nodded, not really having anything else he could say to that. "And there's really no way to prevent this all from happening?"

"Not unless you have a way to go back in a time a couple of centuries and tell the wizarding world that they really shouldn't ignore the one deity that gave them their magic," Harry pointed out, rolling his eyes at the sheer arrogant stupidity of wizards. Judging by the smirk Barty shot him, he was aware of what Harry was thinking.

"I suppose I should agree if only because this whole thing is the wizards fault in the first place. I won't have to kill my lord, would I?"

"No. Currently, Voldie being alive is working in the gods favour. You'd just be asked to keep an eye on his movements and let the gods know of anything you might think would help them."

"Then I agree to being the god's chosen warrior. What do I have to do now?"

"Now? Now we have to work out a way to get me off the property so I can take you to officially meet with those you'll be fighting for. Well, one of them at least," Harry added with a shrug.

"Give me a couple of days to think of something and see if your ancestors can think of anything that would convince my lord to release you of the house arrest he currently has you under. If we haven't thought of anything then I'll talk to him and see if he'll allow me to go out with you somewhere. I'll just make something up," Barty told him with a grin, which widened when Harry rolled his eyes.

"Fine, I'll leave it down to you then. Lord Beli knows how awful I am at planning anything."

* * *

Harry knew he was dreaming when he found himself in a lavishly decorated, white-walled room with dark wooden furniture and expensive looking vases and talismans dotted around the room. He definitely knew it was a dream because he was almost a hundred percent sure he'd fallen asleep in his freakishly comfortable bed at Riddle Manor.

"Hello, little one." Harry spun around and stared in shock at the sight of Lord Beli sitting in a comfy looking chair with dark blue cushions on it. Beli smiled at him and waved Harry over to the only other chair in the room, this one with dark golden coloured cushions. Harry sat down, thankful for the excuse to do so given he knees had almost given up on him from the shock.

"My lord?"

"You're right, by the way, this is a dream. It's the only place I could think of talking to you that wouldn't have any nosy eavesdroppers listening in. My fellow gods are not known for keeping out of the business of others. Much as they might respect me, they're still insatiably curious about you."

Harry blinked a couple of times at that and then figured he should probably say something just to show Lord Beli that he wasn't completely retarded. "There's something you wished to talk to me about then? Have I done something wrong? Do you need me to do something for you?"

"You've done absolutely nothing wrong, Harry, don't worry. As for why I'm here, I've come to warn you that the next god will be the last one. Ceridwen, or The Great Mother, does not need you to wake and name her thanks to your mortal friend, Barty, praying to her. That was sufficient enough," Beli told him, making Harry nod and wonder why Beli felt the need for privacy just to tell him that.

"Is that everything? Do you know where or what time I will have to call them to be named?"

"You will have to name him at Thornborough Henge, at three o'clock on the morning of the New Year. That isn't why I've visited you in your dreams though," Beli told him, making Harry look at him with a frown, feeling completely confused as to what else his lord would need to tell him.

"Do I need to do something for this god, my lord?"

"No! No, do not do anything other than name him. That is why I called you to me. You cannot trust this god at all. He is known for being charming and having a silver tongue, and you intrigue him almost more than you intrigue Amatheon. He will try to sway you from my favour and will do anything to succeed in that."

"Um… but you're my god, Lord Beli. You're the one who made me what I am, why would I turn away from you?"

"The wizards turned from Ceridwen, however that is neither here nor there. Do not worry too much about this upcoming meeting, for I have relayed my warnings to him. He is aware that you are precious to me and I will not allow any other god to come in and take you from me. I just thought you should be aware of the final gods possible intentions."

"I'm not in danger of Him, am I? I mean, He won't try to hurt me at all?" Harry asked, nibbling at his lip nervously and starting to dread the upcoming meeting with the final god he had to name.

"No. He won't try to hurt you at all. His fascination with you is in the same league as Amatheon's. Both gods find you interesting and are attracted to you. Well, Amatheon is attracted to you. I have no doubt, however, that the final god will be attracted to you also given he's attracted to most things he shouldn't be," Beli muttered as he rolled his eyes, making Harry even more confused about the whole conversation.

"So I'm not in any danger then?"

"Not from any of the gods, no. And remember that I have given you many gifts to aid you should you find yourself to be in danger of any mortals. Don't forget any of them. They will all be useful to you in different ways. Keep your bones and the diamond dagger with you at all times and I will always be able to find you. You should consider using the bones more than you do, I believe Ignotus told you that you should. Why don't you?"

"I don't want to bother anyone. And Ignotus is pretty much always with me anyway, so I don't need to use them to talk to him," Harry shrugged and gave a small sigh. "Wouldn't they be annoyed with me keeping them from their rest? I mean, that's why we don't raise them unless they ask, right? So they can actually rest in peace and all that?"

"That is true, but they gave you permission to take their bones. They would not have done that if they wanted to be left in peace. The same goes for all the spirits that visit you and speak to you regularly. They gave you their bones so that they could talk to you without you having to visit their resting place each time. Do not insult them by ignoring their gift to you."

"Okay, message received," Harry said with a wince, not expecting to be scolded by Lord Beli. Especially in his dreams.

"Good. Don't be too upset, little one. I am very proud of how much you have advanced in your skills and studies. You concern and gratitude towards the dead endears you to many and just adds to your unique charms. I chose well when I decided to gift your soul with my blood. Don't ever worry that you have disappointed me."

"I… I won't. Thank you," Hary added softly, smiling and hoping that Lord Beli didn't notice his red face.

"Thank  _you_  for you unquestionable loyalty to me. I'll let you wake up now so that you can carry on with your plans," Lord Beli told him, standing from His seat and then holding out a hand for Harry to take, which Harry did, mind going blank when Lord Beli pulled him into a hug. "And just from me, you chose well for our Warrior. Not that any of us doubted you would."

Harry didn't even have the brain-function to stammer a response to that as Lord Beli squeezed him gently and then pulled away, waking Harry up abruptly with a flick to the forehead. Harry sat up in his bed and glanced at Antioch and Ignotus with a confused expression. He really had no idea what the hell he had just dreamt and whether or not it actually happened.

 _"Why do you have a red mark on your forehead?"_  Well, Harry guessed that answered his question as to whether or not that had actually happened.

* * *

 _"Horatio, I have some good news for you."_  Harry looked up from the book he was reading when Cadmus appeared before him in the still silenced secret room.

"Oh good, I could do with some good news. So what's the what?"

_"What's the what? I honestly have no idea where you learnt to speak but you really do sound common."_

"To be fair, I  _am_  pretty common so it's not that hard to accept. Seriously though, Cad, what news did you want to tell me?" Harry asked, closing the book that wasn't all that interesting anyway.

 _"Dumbledore has been convinced by other members of the Order that their search efforts should be concentrated more on finding your brother rather than chasing rumours of you. No one other than Dumbledore is actually convinced that you are anything other than a squib and so Dumbledore risked losing the faith of his followers by continuing looking for you,"_ Cadmus told him. Harry frowned and looked down at his hands as he processed what Cadmus had just told him.

"What does that mean for me?"

_"Basically? It means that there is no longer anyone watching your house and bakery. You are free to return there, though I would highly recommend you stay here as this place is warded, whereas yours are not. However, you are now able to go back there and check that everything is okay. It also means that you have somewhere safe where you can take Barty to meet Aeron."_

"Good point. I guess I should go check things out there first, huh? Any idea how I'm going to do that without getting grounded by El Meano?"

_"Lord Voldemort is not currently in residence. I have it on good authority that he is busy elsewhere currently and will be there for most of the day. You only have a few of hours, but it should be plenty to get to your house and check what's what there and possibly stock up on herbs that you may need in the near future."_

Harry nodded in agreement to what Cadmus was saying as he was quickly packing away everything he didn't need and tied his pouch of bones back onto his belt. "Good thinking, I'm running low on sage and I think I might stock up on willow twigs. Is it safe for me to leave here without anyone noticing?"

_"There is no one in the library currently. In fact, there are only three death eaters in the whole building. Now would be the best time to make your break for it, so to speak."_

"Okay! Let's go then!" Harry said cheerfully, quickly leaving the secret room and stealthily making his way out of the manor - making a brief detour to his room to grab his trusty bag - and using Cadmus to help him avoid the notice of the remaining death eaters. A few minutes later saw Harry practically skipping - in a completely stealthy manner of course - out of the front doors and then darting down the path leading off the grounds.

It was only a ten minute walk to get from Riddle Manor to his bakery, Harry having decided to check on his shop before heading to his cottage to stock up. When he got there, he noted that everything seemed to be fine, and was sad to see the lack of customers and missed the smell of baking goods. He really missed baking and even more, he missed his regular customers. He really hoped Mrs Lovage had somehow managed to find another way of getting her monthly WI cakes.

 _"If you don't want anyone to notice that you haven't left Little Hangleton, then we should probably make our way to your cottage instead of lingering outside your bakery,"_  Cadmus pointed out quietly, getting a sigh from Harry.

"You're right. Come on then, let's get home, Beli knows what a state my garden is probably going to be in without me having been there to weed and keep an eye on that damned nuisance raspberry bush," Harry grumbled, looking around them and seeing that there was no one around before he gave his bakery door a brief touch and then turned away and led the way to his cottage.

Making his way through the lesser known jitties meant the journey between his bakery and his cottage only took five minutes, and Harry was soon standing at the door of his cottage.

"They went inside, didn't they?"

_"You know they did."_

"Yeah, but it feels weird. Come on, let's just go into the garden first instead. Maybe work my way up to going inside and seeing the damage," Harry said, leading the way down the side path instead of going inside his cottage. When he walked through the side gate, he stopped upon seeing his garden looking better than it ever had when he'd been living there to watch over it. "Er…"

"Ah, you did show up today, I thought you might once I heard that this place was no longer being kept under watch." Harry spun to see Amatheon walk out from under his willow tree and walk over to stand next to him.

"Um… what are you doing here? And do you have any idea who has been looking after my garden?" Harry asked, stepping away from Amatheon - who had moved to stand closer to Harry than was really needed - and walking over to the willow tree Amatheon had been standing - or hiding, as Harry was starting to suspect - under.

"Ah, that would be me. And I'm here to let you know that your garden is thriving, so you have nothing to worry about. If anything, you'll find they'll be even more potent in your rituals. I had heard you relied heavily on this garden, and thought it would be a shame to allow it to die just because a few wizards decided to act above their station in life," Amatheon said with a sneer and a roll of his eyes, moving so that he was once again standing close to Harry.

"Well thank you then. I don't suppose you took the time to train that damned raspberry bush to stop its aggressively hostile take over my garden, did you?" Harry asked, slowly walking down the crooked stone path and towards his herb garden at along the back wall.

"Why would I do that? Though I did stop it from strangling your gooseberry bush," Amatheon admitted with a shrug before he grinned and stood over Harry, who was kneeling and collecting herbs he was running low on. "So where is your overprotective daddy lord?"

Harry paused collecting the herbs he needed at the bizarre question Amatheon asked him and slowly turned to face the possibly insane god. "Pardon? Daddy… daddy lord? I… nope, I have no idea what you're talking about."

 _"I believe he's actually talking about our Lord. And possibly suicidal. Can gods be suicidal?"_ Cadmus enquired, making Harry silently wonder the same thing at the same time as mentally hope Amatheon  _wasn't_  talking about Lord Beli.

Because that would be weird.

"Why Lord Beli of course," and the weird continues to be part of Harry's life it would seem.

"Of course, he says. Who else?" Harry muttered, turning back to the herbs with a sigh and a shake of his head. He really hoped Lord Beli wasn't actually around to hear what Amatheon called him, though he wasn't too sure  _why_  he didn't want Lord Beli to hear it. Other than it was just plain creepy. And made Lord Beli sound like Harry's Pimp Daddy or something equally skeevy.

"So? Where is He?"

"Who?"

"Beli," Amatheon said in an exasperated tone, as though annoyed that Harry wasn't following the thread of the conversation.

"Oh. I have no idea," Harry admitted with a shrug, putting the last of the herbs he needed in his bag and standing up, groaning a little when his knees clicked and genuinely worried, he was surely too young for arthritis to be setting in.

"What? How do you not know? Why isn't he here? Does that mean you're alone? With me?" Harry froze at the seemingly (if you were a moron) innocent question and narrowed his eyes at the now leering god standing in front of him.

"Well, if by alone you mean us two and my dead ancestor, Cadmus standing next to me, then yes. We're alone. And Lord Beli doesn't follow me around. It's not like He isn't busy or anything. Why would you think He'd follow me around?"

"I certainly would if you were  _my_ follower," Amatheon said with a grin that actually made Harry blush, a blush that worsened when Cadmus rolled his eyes.

"Right, well, I'm not your follower, so why  _are_  you following me around?" Harry asked in exasperation as Amatheon followed him back down the path towards his house.

"Why wouldn't I? The fact Beli isn't around to ruin our alone time together just makes it all the sweeter."

"You remember Cadmus is here, right? And why would it matter whether Lord Beli were here or not?" Harry asked, completely at a loss as to why Amatheon gaped at him and Cadmus just rolled his eyes with a sigh. "What?"

"Nevermind. I did come for another reason," Amatheon said after seeming to resign himself to something. What that something was, Harry had no clue and figured it was a god thing.

"Oh? Other than letting me know about my herbs, which, thank you again for by the way," Harry added with a bright smile, which dimmed when Amatheon just groaned quietly and Cadmus snickered.

"Right, yes, other than that," Amatheon muttered with a roll of his eyes, oblivious to the amusement he seemed to be causing Cadmus. "I came to talk to you about the final god."

"Oh? What about him?"

"He may be slightly difficult. I thought I should warn you. He's also an incorrigible flirt and something of a lech."

 _"Takes one to know one,"_ Cadmus muttered. Harry's lips twitched a little as he tried to hold back his laugh before turning back to face Amatheon.

"Should I be worried about him then?"

"Not worried, just wary. Of course, if you're scared I could always accompany you. Make sure you're safe from him," Amatheon suggested, winking at Harry, to which Harry just stared blankly back at him.

"I think I'm supposed to name you all alone. Without outside influence. Which I'm pretty sure you count as. So thank you? But no, I'm good."

"Suit yourself. Just promise me you'll be careful."

Harry glanced at Amatheon in shock at the god's earnest tone before giving him a small smile, "I promised Lord Beli the same thing, so it doesn't take much to promise the same to you. But really, how bad can this guy be? I mean, the god of battle and slaughter is a big softie, sort of. This guy can't be worse, surely?"

"You'd be amazed. He's more depraved than evil. Just, watch yourself."

* * *

A couple of days later, Harry was wandering the halls of Riddle Manor towards the library where Ignotus had informed him Barty currently was. Entering the library, Harry winced a little internally when he noticed that Marcus was sitting at the same table as Barty.

 _"This looks like it's going to be a fun conversation,"_  Ignotus muttered, following behind Harry and not making Harry feel any less like he was walking the gallows.

"Barty! Hi! Um… can we talk about what we talked about a few days ago? Privately?" Harry asked, pointedly looking at the three other Death Eaters sitting at the table, including Marcus - who was paying far more attention to their conversation than was needed.

"Harry? Of course. I'm not doing anything too important. Where are we going?"

"Er… my rooms," Harry said, ignoring the glare that Marcus was now sending them both, though Beli knows why he was glaring.

"Your… right. Of course. Lead the way," Barty said, waving for Harry to move as he stood from the table. Harry nodded, smiling - weakly - at Marcus before quickly leaving the room. "Where are we actually going?" Barty asked once they were walking down the hall.

"My cottage. So technically, my rooms. The meeting I mentioned has been scheduled and will be in about thirty minutes. Sorry for the short notice," Harry muttered with a sheepish shrug as the two made their way out of Riddle Manor.

"Don't worry about it. Though I imagine both of us may be confronted by Flint about this," Barty said with a roll of his eyes.

"Why?"

"I believe he thinks we are in some sort of romantic relationship, despite you telling both of us why that could never happen."

"He didn't believe me?"

"Possibly not. He may think you made it up so you didn't have to tell him you'd chosen me over him."

"People do that?  _Who_  does that?" Harry asked, looking at Barty then to Ignotus, both of whom just shrugged.

"I don't know anyone personally, but it could be what Flint is thinking. What should we expect from this meeting, by the way?" Barty asked as he followed Harry down the alley that would lead the back road Harry's house could be found on.

"Not a clue. Chances are I'll have to leave at some point. I'm not their champion after all. But I imagine they'll mostly want to work out a way that they can contact you without me as the middle man. And meet you in the first place," Harry added with a grin, practically skipping down the broken stone path leading up to his front door. "Come in."

"So this is your cottage? It's nice. And very you," Barty added, looking at the Dr Death mask that was hanging on the wall.

"I brought that back from the manor yesterday once I knew the cottage was no longer being watched. I'd taken it with me when I ran. My aunt bought it to me when I fully came into my inheritance on my seventeenth birthday," Harry explained when he noticed what Barty was looking at, then turning back to turning the kettle on. Because his aunt had drilled it into him that tea should always be available to guests.

Barty turned away from the mask on the wall and then wandered into the kitchen and sat at the table, watching Harry make the tea. Soon after barry had sat down, Harry brought the tea pot and cups to the table and poured Barty a cup before handing it to him and then making himself one.

They both sat in silence, sipping at their tea until ten minutes later, Harry stiffened in his seat and glanced to his front door just as someone knocked on it.

"Do you have wards? You knew someone was here before they knocked," Barty pointed out when Harry looked at him in confusion even as he stood up to answer the door.

"No. I have dead people watching, so to speak. Your possible future bosses have arrived." Harry grinned at Barty and then hurried to answer the door when they knocked once more.

"You took your time," Aeron said with a toothy grin, walking past Harry and into the house when Harry stepped aside after opening the door.

"I'm good thanks! How are you?" Harry muttered, smiling sheepishly when Don walked in next and gave him a scolding motherly look. Finally, Amatheon walked in behind Don and grinned a sharklike grin at Harry before stopping to stand in front of him closer than was strictly necessary.

"How are you today, Little Death?"

"Isn't that the literal translation for an orgasm in French?" Harry asked, narrowing his eyes at Amatheon, who just smiled at him.

"Is it? What a coincidence?"

"Amatheon, stop bothering the necromancer and come in here. You asked to come with us after all," Don called from the kitchen where the other two gods had already introduced themselves to Barty. Who was looking far too amused at Harry's plight than he really should.

Harry gave a near silent sigh of relief and ushered Amatheon into the kitchen before taking his seat once more and smiling at Aeron and Don. "Barty, that's Amatheon, god of agriculture, though you probably know him as The Green Man. Amatheon, this is Barty. He's your champion."

"You chose well, Little Death," Amatheon said with a leer at Barty even as Harry cringed at his new nickname.

"Can you not call me that? And now that the introductions are done, shall I leave? I'm pretty sure you don't need me here and I'm fairly certain I shouldn't know what tasks Barty is given. Besides, I have a god I need to psych myself up for."

"Ah yes, you do have to name him tomorrow night, don't you?" Don said with a smirk as she glanced at Amatheon. Harry followed her gaze and noticed Amatheon was actually frowning, though Harry couldn't actually work out why, other than clearly he disliked the next and final god.

"Yeah, I do. So I'll leave you all to your meeting. Feel free to continue to use my house as your meeting place. For the time being, I think I'm pretty much stuck at Riddle Manor and my Lord believes it is probably for the best that I stay there until I absolutely have to leave anyway. Speak to you later, Barty!" Harry said with a wave to Barty, getting one in return before he swiftly left the cottage. Heading back to Riddle Manor, Harry glanced at Ignotus, who was walking alongside him. "Should I take anything with me tomorrow?"

_"Your wits?"_

"I have them? Other than that though," Harry said, grinning when Ignotus just stared blankly at him.

_"I do not believe this god will need anything more than the others needed. Do you know where it is you will be meeting with him?"_

"Yes, our Lord told me that I would be naming him at Thornborough Henge. It took me ages to find it on the map and then work out what the bloody hell the coordinates were, but I've finally figured it out, so I know where I'm going and I know the time. All I really need to do now is get some sleep. I have the feeling I'll need to be as well rested as I can be when meeting this god."

 _"Yes, I believe that would be wise. Once this final god is named, the war may begin in earnest and sleep may soon become harder and harder to find for you. The Champion has been named after all and in two days time all of the main players will be involved. Are you ready?"_ Harry stared at Ignotus and then looked down at the floor, almost unconsciously making the familiar journey back to Riddle Manor. That really was the question though, wasn't it? Was he ready?

Is anyone ever ready for war?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N - So, be honest now, who thought the warrior was going to be Barty? *Grins* I thought it was actually kinda obvious, but judging by the reviews from some of you, it apparently wasn't that obvious. By the way, the final god will be showing up in the next chapter. He's my favourite. *Snickers* 
> 
> So what did you think about the chapter? Voldemort is starting to let up on the whole house arrest thing with Harry, though probably only for his own sanity, because let's all be honest now, none of us would want to be stuck in a house with a bored and frustrated Harry for an unknown amount of time. *Shudders* 
> 
> Let me know what you thought of the chapter! And Harry's choice of Champion! :D 
> 
> Fact of the Chapter: The pyramids weren't built by Egyptian slaves, they were built by paid labourers. *Nods* Yep. Your teachers lied to you. Why, Mrs Clamp?! Why?! 
> 
> Fact of the Fic (which probably won't be read by those it's aimed at, but meh): I refuse to accept that I am going to Hell in a handcart just because I write/read about two men going at it like alley cats. I'm a Catholic. I went to a school where the bible was a big thing (like, literally, it was bloody huge…). The God I believe in, the Christian God, loves everyone and doesn't discriminate. I believe all gods are the same. They don't care what you do and who with as long as you aren't hurting anyone. Love thy neighbour and all that jazz. So yeah, don't review me to tell me that I'm going to Hell just because I write slash. 
> 
> …
> 
> I'm totally going to Hell because I'm deplorable and laugh at puppies being kicked. Mwahahahahaha! *Coughs* Joke. Kick a puppy and I will kick you. Then cuddle the puppy and generally make noises that are normally heard from spastic dolphins. Because. You know. Puppies. Same goes for kittens. Or any baby animal. And frogs. Frogs are awesome.


	21. Chapter Twenty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the delay! Life has been a bit hectic. My step father seemingly lost his bloody mind and had my mum arrested for no reason, and my mum finally admitted that he was being emotionally and mentally abusive to her. So yeah, my mum has moved in with me and we're working on getting things sorted out (and, you know, wondering how my crazy ass step father has managed to live sixty years without being sectioned…). Hope you enjoy the chapter! And that you all had a lovely holiday season, whatever religion you may follow or beliefs you may have! :D

Chapter Twenty

Harry grumpily - because he really hadn't had enough sleep since Dumbledore was a dick and chased Harry out of his house and away from his business - walked to the headstone of Tom Riddle Sr, muttering under his breath about inconsiderate gods who chose three in the bloody morning to be named. And not just any morning. No, a morning in the middle of bloody winter. He was freezing his metaphoric tits off for a god he didn't even follow.

_"Have you stopped feeling sorry for yourself yet because we're at the grave and you really should start writing the runes so we can get to Thornborough in time."_

Harry just glared at Ignotus before doing what he'd told him to do and drawing the required runes that he would need to take him to Thornborough and the final god he had to name. When he drew the last rune, he took a deep breath and mentally sent a prayer to Beli for good luck before stepping through the gate.

Stepping through, Harry looked around him at where he'd ended up before turning to face Ignotus, "is this it?"

_"Most show awe over this sight,"_  Ignotus drawled, making Harry roll his eyes.

"Sorry. Oooh! Aah! Is this it?"

_"Yes, this is it. Now don't you have someone to summon and name? Stop putting it off. It's better to just get it over and done with."_

Harry sighed, but nodded his head and knelt on the floor. He was well aware that he really couldn't carry on delaying the inevitable. Besides, Amatheon was probably exaggerating. With that thought, Harry pressed his hands into the grass and concentrated on calling the final god, shuddering slightly as the largest wave of energy yet crashed over him, taking with it a large chunk of his own and leaving him feeling drained and wiped out.

_"Oh now, I understand why my darling big brother tried to keep you away from me. Aren't you just the most delicious specimen of mortal Death."_ Harry felt that he was well within his right to just gape at the strange man he had called to him and dared anyone else to do differently had they found themselves in his position.  _"Ah, has my sheer awe inspiring masculinity struck you dumb? I have found I have that effect on people."_

_"For the love of all that is dead, please name him so we can leave this human shaped waste of hot air,"_ Ignotus drawled, but even he looked shocked when the god turned to look directly at him, though really they shouldn't have been considering what he was god of.

_"Hmm, you must be the precious little necromancer's spirit guide. Really, hot stuff, you should have gone the route of the Native American's and chosen an animal. They tend to talk back less."_

"Right! Okay! Thank you. Do you want me to name you or should I just let you and Ignotus get into a petty and quite frankly pointless argument, whilst continuing on as though I'm not here? Would that be better? Because I really couldn't care which way you decide! Sweet Beli, I thought Amatheon was exaggerating in his warnings of you and yet through them all, he never once mentioned just how annoying you were!" Harry ranted, glaring at both Ignotus and the god, who were staring back at him in stunned silence.

_"Feisty, I like it. And I would much rather know the name you will be giving me so that I can imagine you yelling it in ecstasy,"_ the god said, making Harry stare at him blankly. He might be slightly dense, and he would be the first to admit that most flirting went straight over his head, but even he caught on to that. It honestly made him uncomfortable. And feel a little violated.

Deciding to ignore that part, if only for his own sanity, Harry just gave the god a once over, taking in the being's appearance properly for the first time and noticing without much surprise that the man was taller than him by about a foot. His slightly intimidating presence only enhanced by his pale, almost grey, skin tone and deep burgundy red hair. His red tinted brown eyes only added to the man's inhuman aura, and a long scar across his left eye gave the impression that he should be taken seriously, despite his seemingly flirtatious personality. Noticing that the god was giving him the once over in return, before leering at him, Harry just rolled his eyes and tried to hide his discomfort at someone openly showing interest in him.

_"Like what you see, my most delicious little death?"_

"I dunno. I expected something more. My Lord Beli is much more intimidating."

_"What?! He's a midget! How is that intimidating?"_

"He's taller than me. And He's Death. Most find that intimidating enough."

_"And I am the keeper of those He sends on! I'm plenty intimidating!"_

"Maybe. You probably come fourth, below My Lord, Aeron and Amatheon."

_"You have to be kidding me! Sure, I understand Beli and Aeron is a given, he's the god of battle and slaughter, enough said there. But Amatheon?! God of flowers, trees and other frankly girly things? Come on! I'm totally more intimidating than him!"_

_"You weren't there when Lord Amatheon first started this whole thing. Seemed pretty intimidating to me. All mist and shadows and moving trees,"_ Ignotus muttered, which just made Harry roll his eyes as the gods attention was once more on the only present spirit.

_"I could create mist and shadows!"_

"Right now, I just want to name you so I can get back to my warm bed. Alone," Harry added quickly upon noticing the god smirk before going to say something, likely lewd.

_"Fine, then name me, Chosen of Death. Then we can get out of here to where ever it is you live."_

"I call you to me, Lord Arawn, Lord of Annwfn," Harry said, before doing a double take and gaping at Arawn. "What did you just say?! You can't come with me! Why would you do that?!"

_"Because I can and because I don't currently have anything to do with this war my brethren have going on. And really, war is a bit of a stretch. It's pretty passive aggressive right now. No, it will be much more interesting following you around for a bit. And thank you for the name. It's been a while since I went by Arawn. Maybe I should start a hunt soon. My Cwn Annwn will be getting restless I bet."_

"I bet they are. You should go and do that! No time to be following a boring little mortal like me around."

_"Oh no, they can wait a bit. Besides I need to get used to this new world you fascinating little humans have created. So lead the way home! I promise to be quiet as a mouse and get into no trouble at all."_

"That doesn't sooth me at all. I had a mouse in my cottage once. The annoying little thing made a shocking amount of noise for something so bloody tiny. No wonder the Mrs Lovett's cat seemed to have no trouble catching them at all. Still, I can see there really is no bloody stopping you. Come on, let's get back before someone notices that I'm missing," Harry said in a resigned tone, leading the way back to the gate that would take them back to Riddle Manor. He really didn't want to think what Voldemort's reaction would be to finding Arawn with him.

* * *

It was with a put upon expression and a tag along god that Harry cautiously made his way through the hallways of Riddle Manor and, due to his quickly plummeting luck, had the complete misfortune to bump into Voldemort, who seemed to have been heading towards the exit of the manor when he came across Harry and Arawn.

The expression on the Dark Lord's face promptly clued Harry in that he wasn't impressed with the tag along following Harry - and staring at his arse if Harry could take a guess. And admittedly listened to Ignotus' mutterings before the spirit had left the two for the Green Room before entering the Manor.

"Who, Mr Peverell, is that?" Voldemort hissed, practically spinning on his heel to face the opposite direction and heading back towards, Harry assumed, his office. There was no doubt in either Harry or Arawn's minds that they were supposed to follow him. Though a strange part of Harry would have loved to have found out just what would have happened had Voldemort tried to put Arawn under crucio.

All three quickly arrived at Voldemort's office and walked in before Harry and Arawn took a seat in front of Voldemort's desk, Harry trying not to fidget at the glower Voldemort was sending his way.

"Well, Mr Peverell?"

"Voldemort, how are you today?" Harry asked with a bright grin, mentally running through his mind for a decent excuse on why Arawn was with him. The god in question was currently just watching the two mortals (demi-mortals? Harry was still a little confused on that one) with a giant smirk on his smug, annoying face.

"Why have you invited someone into my house, Mr Peverell? Who is he?" Voldemort asked him, clearly not amused by Harry's evasion of the question if the near glowing red eyes were any indication.

"Oh! This is er… Ar…ry!" Harry said, not even bothering hiding his wince at the awful name. Really, he just did not do well under pressure.

"Arry?"

"Yep."

"Arry and Harry?"

Harry paused at that and mentally face-planted. Why he couldn't have thought of a better name for Arawn, he had no idea. Really, he just shouldn't be trusted to come up with plans. Especially plans on the fly.

"Yes?"

"Are you asking me or telling me? Nevermind. Just tell me the truth. I know he's not muggle, as he wouldn't be able to enter. So what is he? Is he another necromancer?" Voldemort asked, and Harry racked his brain to try and recall if he'd ever told Voldemort that he was the last necromancer or not.

"False Lord Slytherin, young Horatio here is stalling as he was informed by our Lord Death not to say too much about his tasks. However, I was recently told that should I need to go to Horatio, then to let you know what and who I am," Arawn said smoothly, making Harry gape at him like an idiot and silently wonder when he'd told the god what his full name was. And when Voldemort was going to kill them both for calling him a false lord anything.

"And? Your name?" Voldemort prompted with forced patience when it looked like Arawn wasn't going to tell him.

"Oh, of course. I am Rowan and I am a spirit warrior who has been sent by Lord Death to watch over Horatio for a brief while."

"Indeed? And how long would this visit be? And am I supposed to house you here?" Voldemort asked scathingly, not looking like he believed them in the least and making Harry worry that Voldemort was about to experiment on spells that could possibly injure or even kill a necromancer. Really, since the gods came into his life, Harry hasn't been able to spend more than a day wondering exactly that.

"I'm not too sure how long I'll be here, but there is no need for you to put yourself out. I will be staying in the same room as Horatio."

"You will?!" Harry squeaked, but coughing and laughing nervously. "I mean, yes, of course. Great! Brilliant. It'll be like a sleepover." From hell, Harry silently added, mentally groaning and wondering just how many puppies he'd killed in a past life to compensate what he was going through now. His karma must have been in the negative numbers or something.

"Well, if that is everything, then you and your… warrior may leave me, Mr Peverell," Voldemort told him, sneering when he called Arawn a warrior and clearly letting his thoughts on that show to the two. Harry didn't bother saying anything, just sighed and nodded, before leading Arawn out of the office. It clearly wasn't like he had any say in his fate.

Once they were in the relative safety of his room, Harry spun around to face Arawn, who leant agains the closed door with a smirk on his face. "What the hell was that?! Oh god, I'm going to die! Do you want me to die?!" Harry asked, having moved forward and shaking the annoying cocky god by the shoulders.

"Why ever would I want you to die? Though I suppose, were you to die, then you would become partially under my jurisdiction. However, you'll be much more interesting and fun for me alive. So no, I don't want you dead. Why ever would you think that?"

"How do you think?! We're in the bloody home of the Dark Lord! And you said you were a bloody spirit warrior! What the hell is a spirit warrior?! Oh my god, I'm going to get killed!" Harry wailed, tugging at his hair before grabbing his bone bag and pulling them out before walking to the small table in the room.

"What are you doing with those? Who do you think could help you with them? I'm Lord of Annwfn! I hold partial control over spirits!" Arawn said, following behind Harry. Harry just smirked at him and then bit hard on his thumb to draw blood before he wiped it on one specific bone and threw them.

"You don't have any control over this one," Harry informed him, smiling brightly when the shadows in the room grew just as the temperature dropped and Arawm gaped at him.

"Oh come on! You called daddy Death! That is playing dirty! Why would you do- Ah, Hello, Beli. Nice to see you here," Arawn said just as Beli appeared in the room from the darkest shadow nearest to Harry.

Beli narrowed his eyes at Arawn before glancing to Harry and then rolling his eyes. "You have been Named and Summoned for less than an hour and already you are causing trouble for my necromancer. Why, Arawn, must you be so difficult? Do not think I don't know what you're planning. I know and I am not impressed. Prove you are worthy before you overstep your mark. He is still mine. And he always will be," Beli warned, before He pressed a hand to Harry's head and ran his fingers though his hair affectionately. He then turned and gave Harry a warm smile before stepping out of the room via shadows once more.

"Well played, Little Death Speaker. Well played indeed. Fine, it'll look even more suspicious if I should suddenly disappear after having claimed to be your protector. However, I will prove myself worthy. Call for me when you wake up, Little Death, and I shall come to you. For now, sleep safely," Arawn told him, handing Harry a knuckle bone that he'd got from Lord knows where, Harry really wasn't sure he wanted to know and he wasn't entirely certain his mind would be able to take any more surprises that night. So instead of asking questions or even saying anything at all, Harry just gave a small nod and turned to put all his bones back in their pouch. When he turned back around, Arawn was gone from the room and Harry felt like he could sleep for a week.

* * *

Harry had managed to survive almost a full week with Arawn following him around Riddle Manor, acting like the spirit warrior he was supposed to be - and Harry had, admittedly, considered  _not_  calling for him that first morning after Naming him, but decided it wasn't worth the hassle - and generally not making too much of a nuisance of himself. Well, no more a nuisance than Harry's general presence tended to imply he was.

So it didn't come as much surprise when Ignotus and Cadmus, both eyeing Arawn warily and glaring when the arrogant god just grinned at them around the cigarette - that Harry quite honestly had no clue where he'd gotten it from - in his mouth, showed up in front of him with somewhat worrying news. Well, worrying for him at least.

"So what's the problem?" Harry asked, wondering just how his little hidey hole could feel cramped when two of the people in there didn't actually have any physical presence to speak of.

_"It would seem that, despite the spells the Dark Lord has cast over Little Hangleton, the tenacious villagers have started to notice your prolonged absence and are now starting to wonder if they should report it to the police. I believe the only reason they haven't thus far is because they do not wish to be a bother,"_  Cadmus said, with a small roll of his eyes.

"They're English, of course they don't want to be a bother. Isn't that like rule number eight? You now, don't go to the police, doctors, emergency services, etc unless you've possibly lost a limb or in serious risk of death. Just in case you're being a bother. Pretty sure it's rule eight."

_"What are you blithering on about?"_ Cadmus snapped, whilst Arawn chuckled and Ignotus sighed. Harry just shrugged sheepishly.

"Right, well, what should I do then? I can't let them go to the police, that would just cause loads of questions I don't want asked, never mind answered," Harry said with a groan, just thinking about what could be dragged up if the police got involved.

_"You could ask the gods for help, after all, it is partially their fault that you're in this mess in the first place,"_  Ignotus pointed out with a sly glance at Arawn, who just rolled his eyes.

"The younger annoying brother does have a point. It wouldn't take much to call some to you. I would suggest Mabon and Modron first as they do not have any involved tasks just yet. We can go to that little copse of trees outside should you wish to avoid leaving the wards," Arawn told him. Harry gave a nod and stood up, closing the book he had been flipping through out of boredom - and the sheer need to ignore Arawn's slightly intimidating presence.

It didn't take them long to make their way to the copse and, using the guidance of Arawn, within a couple of minutes Mabon and Modron were standing in front of them, Modron glowering at Arawn for reasons Harry wasn't sure he wanted to know.

"You called for us, Thegn of Beli," Mabon said, ignoring the daggers his sister was currently glaring at Arawn like it was a regular occurrence. Which, if Harry hadn't only just Named Arawn a week ago, he would think was the case.

"Yes, I have a favour to ask."

"Go on, the worst we can do is refuse," Modron said, almost having to drag herself away from the glaring contest she was having with Arawn. The fairly, admittedly, one-sided contest.

"You could, but as was rightly pointed out earlier, the issue he needs you help with wouldn't have been much of an issue in the first place had we given him our aid right from the start," Arawn pointed out in a lazy drawl, around yet another mysteriously acquired cigarette. Menthol ones if Harry's nose wasn't mistaken. Harry had to literally bite his tongue many a time to not ask him why he was smoking Dot Cotton fags. He probably would have if he didn't know it would be completely lost on the man.

"Then what is the problem?"

"Well, it would seem that the villagers have finally started to notice that I've been absent for a while and they're considering going to the police about it. We can't let that happen for obvious reasons, so I was wondering if there was any way you could help me," Harry asked, trying not to sound too pleading or like he was begging. He didn't have much dignity left so he didn't want to lose what little he did have.

"Hmm, that is quite the predicament. What would you like for us to do?"

"Could you open the bakery for me? Or get someone you trust to do it. You could tell the villagers that I have taken a sabbatical so that I can further my studies abroad. They'll believe you as it was well known that I was considering doing a new pastry and chocolatier course in Germany to expand on my skills. Tell them I hadn't expected to be gone so long but when I realised the opportunity I had, that I contacted some old family friends so they could reopen my bakery for me."

"That does sound like a good idea, young thegn. It would also help us in our original task we had upon waking so it will not inconvenience us. Neither of us are expected to be involved in the coming war but your bakery will give us a way to influence the non-magical mortals in the weeks leading up to it. So we will agree to your request. If you ask one of your spirit guides to watch over us, we can also send you reports back should we hear anything we think you should know about," Mabon agreed with a bright smile, dazzling Harry slightly before he shook his head and then smiled weakly back.

"Thank you. Let me know if you have any problems. Oh and Mrs Lovage will certainly start coming to you soon or her monthly WI meeting cake. When she does, she'll want gossip. I used to use the spirits to get some for me, so if you want I can ask Barty to send you any gossip I think she'll be interested in," Harry said, trying to think of anything else they would need to know. Mrs Lovage really was the most important one to remember as she was his most loyal customer. He had actually found himself missing her a little recently.

"I am sure we will be able to cope, but should we need any help, we'll let you know. Do you have a mobile? I've recently acquired one and if you have one, that would help immensely!" Mabon said with an excited grin, taking his phone out of his pocket. Modron just rolled her eyes from where she stood silently by her brothers side.

Harry stared at him in shock mentally thinking that Mabon really was taking his duties as the god of youth really seriously. Shaking his head and grinning sheepishly, Harry took his own rarely used phone out of his pocket. A phone that, in comparison to Mabon's, was a total brick and actually made Harry want to follow the trends for the first time ever. Not that he disliked his Nokia 5110. He could change the case and everything. Still, Mabon's was an actual flip phone. Shiny.

With a mental sulk, Harry handed his phone over to Mabon when he asked. "Here, program your number into it. How did you get a phone? Don't you need an address?"

"It's pay as you go. They didn't really ask any questions. Here you go!" Mabon said, handing his phone back to him. Harry took it and blinked at the new arial his phone now had that was green and the phone charm now dangling from it of a chibi version of Mabon himself. Harry just stared at it blankly before deciding not to ask. A trend that he seemed to be following more and more often as he spent more time around the gods. He silently resigned himself to accept that he was going to be perpetually baffled for the rest of his life from now on. "Er… thanks. So thank you for opening my shop for me. I should probably head back before any death eaters get curious and come to investigate. Text me if you need me! Bye!"

After that, Harry made a sharp getaway, and just in time because as he left the copse, Arawn - who had been following behind him - was dragged back by Modron by the back of his shirt. Harry saw this as his cue and briskly jog-walked back to the manor. Admittedly snickering to himself as he pictured Arawn's face when he was dragged back.

* * *

Later that night, when Harry was fast asleep and completely unaware of the silent glaring fight going on between Arawn and his ever present nighttime watchers, the shadows grew slightly before Beli stepped out and sighed upon seeing Arawn standing next to Harry's bed.

"Why are you here? Did you not tell my necromancer that you would leave him at night. This does not look like you are leaving him alone. Well, Arawn?" Beli asked, moving and placing himself between Arawn and Harry in a completely non-subtle move. Much to the amusement of the silently watching Peverell brothers.

"What business is it of your anyway, Beli? He may be your follower but that does not mean you control him. He has his own mind. Free will and all that jazz," Arawn said, smirking in a carefree way but everyone present and awake could hear the ice in his voice that told them he wasn't impressed with Beli interfering.

"He is mine to watch over and mine to protect, even if that means protecting him from overly familiar gods who overstep their boundaries."

"What boundaries? I am allowed to talk to him. And unless he tells me otherwise, I am allowed to be around him. You have no say in that."

"Maybe not, but I am here to warn you to leave Harry alone and not pressure him into anything unless Harry himself states he would be interested in starting a relationship with you. You make him uncomfortable with your blatant flirting and with Amatheon also doing the same whenever he is near Harry, I worry for my necromancer's sanity. Leave him alone, Arawn."

"Fine, I agree not to start anything with him  _unless_  Harry is the one to initiate it. But on the same topic, you cannot interfere  _should_  Harry start something with me. Or Amatheon should the poor demo-mortal completely lose his mind," Arawn said with a sneer, getting a snort of contemptuous amusement from Beli.

"At least on that we are in agreement. And fine. I suppose I can agree to not getting involved. For now."

"No, no for now. Forever, Beli. You cannot get involved if Harry ever decides he wants a relationship with anyone. After all, I'm well aware he has performed the ritual that makes it physically painful for him to touch mortals. You've taken that away from him, allow him the novelty of being able to touch someone without consequence. Without witnessing their death. Without feeling his cells breaking down and dying all at once. Step aside, Beli, and let your child grow and develop. Smothering him and threatening any prospective son in laws will just kill him in the end and you know it."

Beli glowered at the floor for a moment or two before He sighed and looked up to look at Arawn. He narrowed His eyes at him before finally seeing something positive as He then sighed once again and nodded His head. "You are, I suppose, right. I will step aside. But be warned should you hurt him or mess with him in anyway, Arawn. You are only immortal for as long as I allow it." And with that ominous statement that blew any other fatherly threat made throughout history out of the water, Beli disappeared back from where he had come but not without pressing a slightly possessive kiss to Harry's hair.

"I don't know why you're all looking amused. None of you can get involved either as it would be seen as working for Beli. I am completely free to court Harry should he show that he wishes it," Arawn stated smugly, before frowning when that just made the Peverell brother's all quietly burst into laughter.

_"Good luck with that one, Lord Arawn. Harry is denser than a block of bricks when it comes to matters of the heart. Just ask young Bartemius. Short of telling him in simple terms that you are attracted to him, Harry will continue to think you are just overly friendly and a bit peculiar. There will be no need for us to even consider sabotaging you. Harry will do all that on his own without even thinking he is,"_  Ignotus told him with a wide grin before dismissing the now stunned speechless god and turning back to his poker game with his brothers.

* * *

The completely unimportant and unrecognised - for now - date of January 17th arrived without much fanfare. In fact, there was absolutely no fanfare at all and it was still an entirely ignored date in the calendar. Still, Harry hadn't thought much of it until Arawn arrived in his room after he'd called for him and looked genuinely downhearted about something. An expression Harry hadn't honestly been sure the god even knew.

"Um… morning, Arawn. You look a little um… down today. Everything okay?"

"Alas, I have some bad news to give you. But don't fear, my Little Death, it isn't as bad as it may sound," Arawn said, completely losing Harry and making him wonder if the god had actually lost him mind. Or genuinely had something awful to tell Harry.

"Right… what's up?"

"Sadly I have been given a task to accomplish so it means that I will no longer be able to stay with you. Now, don't feel too downhearted at the thought of my absence, I'll still try to visit you whenever I can," Arawn said, leaning closer to Harry than was strictly necessary in Harry's opinion.

"Well, I'll er… I'll try not to be too sad?" Harry asked, not really sure he was awake enough for this conversation.

"You also have my bone should you need to call me. But also, if you ever feel the need to escape from everything that is going on, then you can hide in Annwfn. You have a safe passage in my underworld. All you need to do is draw my rune in your blood on a headstone, whilst holding my bone and thinking of escaping. It should create a gate that only you can safely enter and take you to Annwfn," Arawn told him, much to Harry's shock.

"You've just told me how to access Annwfn without having to die first. Why would you do that?"

"Because I think there may come a point when you'll have to hide. And what better place to hide than the underworld? Stay safe, Little Death, and call for me should you need me," Arawn told him before shocking Harry completely by grabbing his shoulders and pressing a kiss to his cheek. Harry touched his cheek with his hand when Arawn stepped back into the shadows, shocked. He'd completely forgotten that the gods could safely touch him.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N - So, how was it? Any good? I'd love to know why so many of you thought the final god was going to be Loki (seriously, where did you get that idea from?) but I hope Arawn hasn't disappointed! He's the god of Annwfn, which is the underworld/afterlife. So basically, he's the welsh version of Hades. Or Anubis, if we stick with Beli's love of Egypt… Lol
> 
> So many of you will be happy to learn that there will be little to no Old English spoken from this point onwards. And Arawn will not be leaving Harry alone for too long! And yes, the knuckle bone Arawn gave to Harry is indeed connected to him in the same way Beli's is to himself. So Harry now has a bone from two powerful gods. Lucky him. 
> 
> Next chapter, things will start to move along a little and we'll get to see just what the Order have been up to since Charlus up and left them. *Grins* 
> 
> Fact of the Chapter: Were a baseball (or rounders for the Brits) pitcher able to throw a ball at the speed of light (you read HP fanfiction, suspend your disbelief for a second and work with me here), then within seventy nanoseconds, the pitcher, and batter would be disintegrated. The field would be a crater, and everything within a mile radius would be destroyed. Anyone watching from a safe distance would see a huge ass mushroom cloud and then a firestorm will decimate the surrounding city/town. So yeah, safe to say if that happens, it wouldn't end well for anyone. But! Should that happen, according to Major League Baseball rule 6.o8 (b) suggests that in this situation, the batter would be considered "hit by pitch", and would be eligible to advance to first base. I shit you not. So I guess it doesn't all end badly for the batter. You know, if he survived. Or if there was a first base left… which is doubtful. So be careful when you throw a ball not to er… throw it at the speed of light! *Nods* 
> 
> I'm not kidding. That rule is real. All bases covered, so to speak. *cough*


	22. Chapter Twenty-One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N - it amuses me how many of you want Harry to be with Amatheon more than Arawn. Though Beli seems to win still even though he's definitely not in the running. He's more like Harry's father. Also, sorry for the shocking lateness of this chapter. I have no excuse. Not really.

Chapter Twenty-One

Were anyone to have passed by the Jurassic Coast that cold winter morning in January, then they would have seen a strange sight of a group of bizarre looking people standing together, seemingly unaffected by the gentle flurry of snow - that really had no chance of actually settling - given that a good majority of them were wearing clothes highly unsuitable in England at any time of the year, never mind January.

Not to mention one looked like he'd been in a fight with a tree and lost, one seemingly was dressed like an ancient Egyptian and two had skin the colour of coal and hair white as the snow that was falling.

Luckily though, no one was insane enough to walk along a beach in the early hours of the morning in January and thus the meeting was unseen by human eyes. There was the odd bird that hung about to watch though, but who were they going to tell what they were witnessing?

As it was, Arawn looked around him at the gathered gods and silently wondered how any of them thought they could pass unnoticed other than possibly Mabon and Modron. Then again, they were ancient gods. Something that, he could admit to himself, weren't widely known for their common sense, forethought or sanity.

"So we've all finally awoken and have been named thanks to the kindness, knowledge and belief of Lord Beli's newest child. Now that we're all here, we can finally start taking action against these upstart wizarding mortals. Does anyone have anything they'd like to say first?" Ceridwen asked, interrupting Arawn's thoughts on the overrated status mortals gave sanity.

"Actually, I believe that given what this war is actually about, Arawn and myself, at the very least, cannot be involved. The dead do not hold grudges and though many have been affected by the narrow-minded callous actions of the wizarding world, ultimately it has been put aside. Given that there is also a necromancer walking the earth right now as well, this means it is even more imperative that the gods of death and the afterlife do not get involved. If we get involved then the dead may start to awaken feelings in themselves that they should not be experiencing. And if that happens, it will not end well for Horatio. He cannot be dragged into this war anymore than he already has been," Lord Beli stated in his soothing, soft voice that every time Arawn heard it, shocked him. Really, if he considered the kind of voice Death would have, he'd think it'd be more in kind with Amatheon's gravelly, earthy voice. Beli did have a lovely singing voice though, if Arawn recalled right from the last time he'd been awake and the gods had possibly gotten a little too merry.

That was another time they were all quite thankful no mortals passed by them.

"I agree with Lord Beli. And would like to add that I should not be overly involved either. Master Crouch is not my champion as I am part of the First Three. No matter the out come of this war, Life will still find a way, just as Death will continue on and those that have passed will go with Arawn. Of course, that is not to say that we will not be affected. We will be. However, of all the gods, we three must stay impartial. Just as Beli's thegn must also stay neutral, none of us can truly pick a side. Everyone must die, everyone must move on and of course, each side will give more life to this world," Amatheon said, putting his two pence in and making Arawn struggle not to roll his eyes. Not that he didn't agree with the god, but he couldn't openly do so just on principle. He was fighting against Amatheon for said thegn's attention after all.

Ceridwen looked at Amatheon and then Beli and dipped her head in acknowledgement of them before turning to look at Arawn, "and you, Arawn? Do you agree with these two and their stance in this war?"

Arawn glanced at Beli and Amatheon before actually considering their point and then turning back to Amatheon. "Yes. I do. We have no useful skills for you in this war. Amatheon is a walking tree, I look like a corpse and Beli looks like an Egyptian pharaoh. Of course, none of us truly look like we belong in the world of mortals. However, unlike the rest of you, Amatheon had a point when he said we must be neutral. Most of all Death. However, that doesn't mean we should take a back seat. Yes, we should be neutral but it doesn't mean we do not have our own bones to pick. I don't think any of us have forgotten just why there is only one necromancer and why he is the first to have been born in centuries. The wizarding  _and_  non-magical mortals treatment of necromancers and the dead is deplorable. The dead may not hold grudges, but that does not mean their gods do not."

"Exactly," Amatheon said, shocking Arawn slightly in his blatant backing of his points. Of course, war was possibly slightly more important than who got the right to court Beli's demi-mortal son, "the mortals treatment of non-sentient living beings is also unforgivable. None of you younger gods may hear it but the  _earth_  is screaming in pain. Life and Death do not only hold court over sentient beings.  _All_  life has a beginning and thus  _all_  life has an end. Mortals are destroying whole masses of life just for their own means. My brothers and I have our own war to fight. It just happens that it is also against the same people you have declared war against. Humanity needs to learn that they are not at the top of the food chain."

"I understand what you are saying and can agree with you. However, how do you want to work this? We cannot be seen to be working against each other, but I do understand that you also cannot be seen to be picking a side."

"Perhaps, then, we shall be allies. Two new factions in this war the mortals do not know they have waged. And perhaps, the only two mortals who are aware of just what the mortals have wrought upon themselves shall be our ambassadors so to speak. Horatio shall be our spokesman and Bartemius shall be yours. It does help that my son likes and even chose your champion," Lord Beli told them with a smirk. Arawn rolled his eyes when Beli glanced at him and Amatheon pointedly. Like they'd forget Beli had adopted a mortal as his son.

"I agree with your terms. We shall stay out of your way for retribution and in return you shall stay out of ours. Our spokesmen can relay our wishes to the other so that we do not accidentally step on one another's toes."

"I would, of course, prefer that my necromancer is not put into any unnecessary danger but I also understand that is impossible given where he is currently living and who he is. However, I would be grateful if you could keep an eye on him where possible. He is important to both me and the continuation of existence, much as he is unaware of just how important he is."

"We understand, Lord Beli. I think all of us would ask the same were we to have a child in your son's position. Is that the only thing you ask?"

Lord Beli looked from Amatheon to Arawn in question, getting only small nods from the two of them. Really, the only mortal that any of them cared about was Harry, so none of them were going to disagree with Beli's plea. "I believe that is all my brother's and I wish to ask for."

"In that case, perhaps we should all take our leave so we can discuss what we need to do in this war separately. Should you need to tell us something, let your necromancer contact our champion. He shall know how to contact us. If he cannot get in touch with Bartemius, then he has the means to contact Mabon as well."

Lord Beli nodded his agreement to the plan and then turned to Arawn and Amatheon. "I believe we should meet up at a later date to make plans. However right now I need to speak to the Peverell's before speaking to Horatio about the arrangements. I assume you shall be speaking with Bartemius shortly as well, Ceridwen?"

"I will be, Lord Beli."

"In that case, given they are currently together, it would be wise if we went to them together. Let me know when you have finished here and I shall come with you. Until then," Lord Beli said, before leaving. Arawn glanced at the remaining gods before turning to Amatheon and smirking.

"Looks like we get to spend more time with the delicious little morsel that is Horatio."

"You do know that we will have to work together, yes? If we do not, Horatio may get hurt. Come, Arawn, we need to discuss our actions in this before Lord Beli decides we have outlived our purpose," Amatheon said with a huff, narrowing his eyes when Arawn just smirked. He did have a point though and so with a nod to the other gods, Arawn grabbed Amatheon's wrist and dragged the god of life and agriculture into the underworld.

He had to get his kicks from somewhere.

* * *

Harry sat on Barty's bed watching the twitchy man try to eat the jam donut Harry had made earlier that day without licking his lips. Harry silently admitted to himself that he was cheating because a) he had far too much practice doing this, and b) asking a man who's nervous twitch was to lick his lips  _not_  to lick his lips is astonishingly cruel and he really didn't know he had it in him. At the same time, it was very amusing to watch.

"I see you two are taking this war thing seriously and spending your free time bettering yourselves." Harry jerked in shock and then made a small wounded noise when his elbow landed in a donut in front of him when Lord Beli appeared in front of them with a woman with coffee coloured skin, purple hair that got lighter towards the ends and wearing an eye patch over one eye (the other covered by her hair and making Harry absently wonder just how she could see. And  _why_  a god needed to wear an eye patch in the first place) next to him. Barty, the composed pureblood of higher upbringing that he was, just stuffed the rest of the donut in his mouth, blatantly cheated by wiping the sugar off his lips and swallowed with a loud gulp before looking from the two visitors to Harry in confusion.

"Lord Beli! Um… Hi! Wait, do I need to be doing a ritual? Ignotus didn't say anything about that," Harry said, stumbling over himself to get off the bed and then clumsily bowing to the two beings in front of him.

"Relax, my little one, you haven't fallen behind on any rituals. We're actually here to speak to the two of you about something and then Ceridwen is also here to help Barty connect more with his magic," Beli explained, making Harry give a small sigh of relief.

"Well that's good then. So what did you need to speak to us about?" Harry asked, sitting back on the bed but making sure not to sit on the now squashed remains of a donut.

"It's about this war. The gods have split into two factions for this, due to the fact that the First Three have duties that mean they cannot take one side over the other. Because of this, we decided that the two of you will become avatars of a sort for either side," Ceridwen told them, getting the attention of both mortals, until Beli stepped forward to continue.

"Which means that, should myself, Arawn or Amatheon need to get a message passed on to the other gods, then one of us will contact Horatio, who will then have to let Bartemius know."

"Ooh! Like Divine Chinese Whispers!" Harry exclaimed happily, grinning widely before he realised that the other three in the room were staring at him strangely. "Or… You know, not. Um… you were saying?"

"Indeed. As we were saying, you two will be asked, from time to time, to pass messages to one another on behalf of your chosen gods. OF course, the other gods have agreed to minimise the risk that you, Thegn Horatio, will encounter, but given this war stretches across this entire island, it is inevitable that you may get caught up in it," Ceridwen warned Harry, who just nodded in understanding. He figured the fact he was living in the same house as the current Dark Lord was also hindering any plans for his safety and general well being. "Now that we have updated you on what you need to know, Bartemius, I just need to adjust your connection to your magic and give it one last cleanse from the damage those abominations on Azkaban did to you."

Barty stared at The Mother of Magic for a second or two before slowly nodding his head and then moving warily towards her, whilst Lord Beli stepped around the two and walked over to sit next to Harry.

"Ignotus tells me that he is very impressed and pleased with your progress," Beli told Harry quietly as the two watched the two magic users seemingly stare at nothing whilst holding hands. Harry wasn't entirely sure what it was they were supposed to be doing but far be it him to tell a god that they looked strange. Then what Beli said registered in his head and his face erupted into quite the impressive blush.

"Oh! Um… good. That is good right?"

"Yes, my little one, that is very good. You've far exceeded any expectations I had for you. If it were my choice, I would have hidden you away from this world and this war until I was positive of your safety and well-being. Alas, even I have to answer to Fate and Time, and therefore was not allowed to spirit you away. So instead, I have done all I can to make sure you have as many advantages to get your out of this alive and relatively healthy." Harry dragged is eyes away from the magic duo to stare at Beli in stunned disbelief, not really sure where the god was going with this.

"You don't really have to do that," Harry said after a few moments of silence where Harry wondered if he was supposed to say anything and if so,  _what._

"Yes, I did. But it matters not either way, because I have. On that note, I am to give you something to complete the set and make it easier for you to contact Amatheon as well as myself and Arawn. Apparently he said something about evening the field but I generally choose to ignore my brothers reasoning's," Beli muttered to himself and Harry wondered if he was even supposed to have heard the last part in the first place. He was a little stunned though when seconds later Beli handed over another small knuckle bone.

"Is this…?"

"Amatheon's? In a sense, yes. It is as much his as the other two are Arawn's and mine. Keep it close as you do the others and use it should you have need to speak to Amatheon, though Annwfn knows why," Beli said with a roll of his eyes, making Harry grin and suppress a snicker.

Just as Harry was about to ask Beli if he knew what the other two were actually doing, he room was suddenly saturated in a heavy, tangible feeling that made Harry's hair stand on edge and his breath the get caught in his throat. He looked at the two before looking at Beli with wide eyes, wondering just what the feeling currently filling the room was.

"That, my little necromancer, is magic. That is what this whole war is about, though it is not what is ultimately being fought for," Beli told him, and Harry turned back to look at Ceridwen and Barty in stunned disbelief, forcefully quashing the tiny voice inside him that voiced his own sadness at not having that feeling.

He had Beli and death magic. He didn't need anymore.

But for one second, he wondered just what would have been had he had magic in his veins instead of death.

* * *

Beli stepped through the shadows not long after leaving Harry with Barty, and appeared in Arawn's own halls within Annwfn. The god in question was lounging (really, there was no other way to describe how he was sitting) in what he lovingly called his throne, which to Beli was actually just a glorified pile of bones and shadows. Still, each to their own he guessed. Arawn didn't comment (aloud, at least) about his like of wearing his old Egyptian garb, so he would mention the throne.

"Lord Beli, to what, may I ask, do I owe the pleasure of your company? Nothing's happened to require my presence, has it?" Arawn asked, looking genuinely stunned to see him standing there. Of course, the look was nothing compared to what he wore moments later when, with barely a twitch, Beli dragged Amatheon into the room with him.

"You know, you could have just asked. I was in the middle of settling a dispute between a particularly aggressive breed of elder tree and a small copse of elm they seemed to be encroaching upon. Whatever could have been so important that you interrupted that?!" Amatheon asked, looking slightly dishevelled due to the means Beli have employed in dragging him there in the first place. Never mind the fact that, as the god of life, he really didn't suit being in the underworld. At all.

"Really?  _Anything_  would be more important that listening to ancient trees bitch about one another. Have you read Lord of the Rings? That mortal really gave talking trees far too much credit. They're more boring that watching grass grow."

"Watching grass grow can be quite stimulating, I'll have you know!"

"Oh yes, this one's the life and soul of the party. Why, dear brother, did you drag him down here? Are you punishing me for something?" Arawn asked, and Beli couldn't help but silently ask himself why he had to put up with those two for brothers.

"I brought him here so that I could talk to you both at the same time. Alas I didn't consider the fact that even on your own you could drive a saint to sin, but together you make me want to wipe out all existence and start again," Beli said, pinching at the bridge of his nose as though to stave off headache he would never truly be rid of.

Arawn graced him with a raised eyebrow before sighing a put upon sigh and conjuring two seats for the present gods with a wave of his hand. "Oh, do go on there. The sooner you tell us what you came here for, the sooner you can send the treehugger on his merry way."

"I'm glad to have your go ahead. Now, the reason I brought you both down here is simple. Horatio." With that magic word, he had the attention of both his younger brothers and brutally suppressed the smirk he wanted to give.

"What about him? Did you give him my gift I gave you to pass on?" Amatheon asked, looking at Beli eagerly and grinning when Arawn made a strange squawking noise and leant further forward on his own chair.

"What?! What gift? You're helping  _him_  in this courting, Beli?! Him?! Surely a necromancer would be far better suited with the god of the underworld as opposed to the god of daisies and grass."

"Daisies and grass! I'll give you daisies and grass!" Amatheon exclaimed, before causing vines to grow out of who knows where and tightly wrap around Arawn.

Arawn scowled at Amatheon before lighting the vines on fire with a deathly green looking flame and then throwing a ball of said flame at Amatheon. Who then countered the attack with a wall of soil.

Beli just sighed at the actions of the two and shifted his chair back slightly, knowing that if he didn't let them get it out of their systems now then they'd never get anything done.

Of course, whilst Beli was thinking that, Amatheon and Arawn had continued their fight and now neither god could be seen amongst the mass of shadows, flames, vines and dirt that was flying around all over the place. Were he a mortal or even saner than he was, Beli would worry that someone would get hurt. But given who he was, he didn't particularly care if someone did anyway.

After a good half any hour of a fight that didn't show any signs of slowing down or petering out, Beli gave another sigh and then clapped his hands together. Seconds later the other two gods were stopped mid fight by two shadows wrapping around them and slamming them to the ground and trapping them there.

"Have you both quite finished? Because I really would prefer to do other things than watch you two bicker like a couple of mortal children. If this is how you plan to behave in front of my necromancer, then I may retract my agreement to let you both court him. Bear in mind that I only have to suggest that I would be upset if he were to be with you and he wouldn't come within a mile of either of you. So? Can we please act like the adults we are? That means no plant life, no flames of Annwfn, no Cwn Annwfn and no earthen defences in any sense," Beli said in a scarily calm voice that was completely ruined by the ever-growing shadows looming up behind him. Both gods mutely nodded, unable to actually verbally agree given they were being gagged by another shadow. "Good. Now sit down and shut up. Not one word out of either of you unless it's acceptable in polite society."

Arawn and Amatheon both sulkily stood up and brushed off their clothing before returning to their seats and looking at Beli a little sullenly, though Beli would rather that than world war three.

"So what did you need to speak to us about?" Arawn asked, shooting a glare at Amatheon, which Beli decided to let slide because he just didn't have to energy to care what they looked at one another like as long as it didn't lead to physical blows.

"It is about your courtship of my necromancer. I want to just make it clear that, though I have said I will not stop either of you, don't think I will allow it should it become clear you are hindering him in any way. I want to make sure that you both have his mental and physical well-being as your top priorities. What I mean is, I want to be sure that you will not put him in danger during this war just because one of you dropped the ball when trying to one up the other. Your petty competition with one another must come second to the needs of Horatio. Understand?" Beli asked, deadly serious as he speared both with a narrow-eyed, steely glare.

"We understand. Harry comes first. Although we cannot be help accountable for the quite frankly bizarre scenarios that he seems to find himself in in a near daily basis," Amatheon pointed out, grinning as he, probably, mentally recalled some of the said scenarios his necromancer had found himself in. Beli just rolled his eyes, well aware of the trouble magnet Harry was.

"Yes, I can agree to that. In that case, I suppose I wish you both good luck. If I'm being honest, I feel I may enjoy watching you both get shot down time after time by my romantically stunted heir. Now that I have said all I needed to say, I can take my leave and you two can either go your separate ways or carry on trying to see just how far immortality with protect you." And with that, Beli left the two with a smirk on his face and his creepy, deep chuckle echoing the shadowy halls of Annwfn.

As soon as Beli left, Arawn barely had time to dodge the spear like vine thrown at him by Amatheon, who then took a sharp exit like Beli before Arawn could even think to retaliate. Arawn scowled down at the vine and silently told himself he would get Amatheon back the next time he saw him.

* * *

Lily nervously stared at the figures in front of her. The people who, once upon a time, she would have proudly stood by and even called friends. Now those same people had sent her husband and his friends out on a merry old goose chase and had drugged her and trapped her in a long forgotten classroom within the dungeons of Hogwarts.

Oh yes, Lily totally felt justified in refusing to tell anyone about the whereabouts of any of her children given how they were now treating her. She just silently hoped to whatever deity might be listening - Harry had always mentioned a mother of magic to her when he was still living with them and now she was hoping he hadn't made it up - that she would be able to keep her silence and protect her children for as long as possible.

A wave of warmth washed over her as she had that thought and she considered that perhaps, not for the first time, Harry was right.

"Come now, my dear girl, all we want is for you to tell us the whereabouts of your two sons. Your daughters can stay wherever they may be and not get involved in this war at all. Surely you can see we need young Charlus and Harry if we are to win this war," Dumbledore said in his sickeningly false, grandfatherly tone that just made Lily want to scream obscenities at him just to see him lose that damned twinkle in his eyes.

It was times like this when Lily begrudgingly admitted that Petunia might have had a point about magic being poison. And didn't that thought leave a bitter taste in her mouth.

In answer to Dumbledore's question, Lily just sneered and then spat in the ancient headmaster's face, mentally grinning when she noticed the ever-present twinkle dim in his eyes.

"Fine, if you won't tell us where they are, tell us why you hid Harry. Why you smothered his magic and passed him off as a squib," Dumbledore demanded, losing the grandfatherly tone and twinkle in his eyes completely when Lily just laughed in his face.

The thought that she, a mere muggleborn - oh she was well aware of the thoughts of purebloods, be they on Dumbledore's side of Voldemort's, regarding muggleborn - could suppress anyone's magic and pass them off as a squib. Though she supposed that they must think her a monster for them to even consider she had done such a thing to her own child.

"This is getting us nowhere, Albus. I say we dose her with veritaserum. We still have some left over that the traitor made us before he went and got himself killed," Mad Eye said, making Lily stiffen slightly before another wave of warmth passed over her and something seemed to remind her that any knowledge of Harry was protected by the fidelius charm and she truly had no idea where Charlus was. They could dose her with all the veritaserum in the world and she wouldn't be able to tell them anything. She did, however, allow herself a moment of sadness as she remembered Severus. He was truly the only person she could call a friend and now she had it confirmed that he was dead. Still, at least the absence of James, Sirius and Remus suggested to her that they had nothing to do with this and, indeed would not have approved of it either.

"Yes, you may be right, Mad Eye. But if what she has reluctantly told us about the fidelius charm is true, they the veritaserum won't help us either way. Besides, I do not think we have enough left now," Dumbledore said, looking at Lily with a pondering, thoughtful stare that made Lily want to scrub at her skin with a wire will brush until she bled.

"Then how else can we get information from her. Surely there is something she knows. We need those boys, Albus," Mad Eye growled, and to Lily's silent horror, Dumbledore seemed to acknowledge what the crazed ex-auror was saying and gave a small nod of his head.

"Very well, Alastor, I will allow you to extract what information you can from her. Call us back when you feel she is ready to speak," Dumbledore told him before he left the room with the other members of the Order that had been in the room with them.

"It looks like it's just you and me then, Miss. I think you had better start telling us what you know; otherwise you're going to be in a world of pain. Let's start with something simple. What did you suspect your son was when you hid him away in the muggle world?" Mad Eye said, loosely holding his wand at his side, though the slightly lit up tip gave away his eagerness to get his answers.

Lily just stared at him blankly before he started to laugh maniacally. Those listening at the door gave a small shudder when the crazed laughter slowly merged into tortured screams. And yet, those listening would swear they could still hear laughter in those screams and their very magic trembled at the sound echoing the halls of Hogwarts.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N - So many of you seem to be backing Amatheon in this! Lol. Also, to the reviewers who mentioned that the gods were all a little 2D, I agree. It's kinda hard to give them more dimension given they're not really main characters, however hopefully this chapter has fleshed the three main ones Harry is closest to a little more. Feel free to let me know which god you'd rather Harry be with but I'll be honest, Arawn will probably win either way just because he amuses me.
> 
> Oh, for those who asked about pronunciations, I have updated the chapter about the gods with their pronunciations (or how I was told to say them at least) in Uncut Hair. Though it doesn't really affect the story in anyway how to pronounce them in your heads, but some find it nice to know! :D 
> 
> Oh yes, and please stop whining on about how I've made Voldemort the good guy (you know who you are). I haven't, quite frankly neither Voldemort nor Dumbledore have the moral high ground in this fic. They're both in the wrong. Just Harry chose to stick with the guy who's scared of his boss as opposed to the guy who wants to rule over his boss. Can't say I blame Harry…
> 
> Fact of the chapter: Should you click your fingers immediately after hearing cicadas, then those that are close enough will fly towards you so they can have sex with you. Just in case, you know, you ever got lonely? Er… Right. No clicking fingers near randy cicadas. XD


	23. Chapter Twenty-Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait! Hope everyone has a very happy Yule time (or whatsoever holiday you may happen to celebrate this time of the year. Or just have a happy normal day if you celebrate nothing…)! Enjoy the chapter as my present to you all! :D

Chapter Twenty-Two

Harry looked up from the dot-to-dot that he was doing in his sheer boredom (and part of him wondered where the hell it had come from and  _why_  there was a dot-to-dot book in Riddle Manor in the first place) when he sensed someone staring at him. He was, he felt, understandably shocked to see Lily Potter standing at the end of his bed, looking at him with love and kindness, but had an air of sadness about her. Harry guessed the sadness probably came from the fact she was now dead, but he had no idea if that was actually the case.

"Er… hi?" Harry said, well more asked but semantics, and shuffled to sit up on his bed. He shoved the dot-to-dot book on to the floor and then waved for Lily to join him. A quick glance around told him that Ignotus had abandoned him at some point, probably when Lily died so he could direct her to him.

"Hello, my little Harry. I always knew you were special. I just never even came close to guessing just how special. I'm so proud of you, Baby," Lily said to him, leaning forward to hug him, a hug which Harry gladly returned tightly. Clinging on a little longer than is probably needed.

"How have you been? You know, other than being dead?" Harry finally asked once he'd pulled away from Lily. Lily just smiled at him softly before actually answering, clearly amused by the fact that Harry  _still_ didn't quite understand the finality of death. Though she supposed she now knew why.

"I've been fine, Harry. A little worried about you and your siblings. Now even more so, I guess. Though it is lovely to finally be able to talk to you once again. When I left you with Sylvia, I never thought I would only get to see you again, especially§ once I'd died," Lily told him sadly, looking down at the bed she was sitting on - once Harry had given her enough energy so she didn't phase through it.

Harry looked at Lily, silently wondering if he should comfort her and if so, how, before she seemed to shake out of her mood and turned to smile at him once more.

"You know, when Charlie implied he knew where you were and that you were safe from Dumbledore's clutches, I never guessed you would be living with Voldemort. How have you been?"

"Oh, you know, fine. Well, if you ignore weird gods randomly appearing in front of you and staring at you strangely or just standing really close. And the fact that I'm apparently involved in a war of literal gods. Who only speak to me and one other mortal. Who I had to name because I was the only one who actually believed in them. Which isn't all that hard to do when you speak to Death on occasion. But other than all that, I'm fine."

"Charlie told me that you actually managed to achieve your dream and work in a bakery. I knew sending you to live with Aunt Sylv was the best idea. Tell me about yourself. Your friends, and such. What are you hobbies?"

"Well, er…" Harry paused, wondering if dead people counted as friends. Shrugging, he decided that they  _were_  his friends, so they clearly counted. "I've got a few friends. I'm strangely fond of Tom Riddle snr, and Ranulph. And of course there's James, who's a fairly new friend. Oh, and I guess you could say Amatheon, Aeron and Mabon are my friends. Well, they're pretty friendly. Sometimes maybe a little too friendly. I think gods don't entirely get personal space and all that," Harry added with a shrug.

Lily grinned before shaking her head and piercing Harry with a narrow-eyed stare. "Do you have any friends that aren't dead, Baby?"

"Er… the gods aren't technically dead. Oh! And there's Barty. Do Death Eaters count as dead? Because they're not… actually they don't eat dead people either… huh," Harry mused, head tilting to the side in confusion and making the beads in his hair click together, which caught Lily's attention.

"I'm liking your look. Are the beads special? I can sense some sort of magic or energy coming from them?"

Harry automatically touched the beads in his hair and couldn't help the proud grin that formed as he thought about how he got each of them. "They're part of being a necromancer. Each time I do a ritual to bring me closer to Lord Beli, I am gifted with a bead or two. Each one is unique and most of them serve a different job to aid me. My Lord gave me other gifts that would help me as well. He's kinda awesome," Harry said, and if it were possible Lily wondered if he would have hearts in his eyes at his obvious worship of his lord.

"Lord Beli personally came to collect me when I passed on. He led me to Ignotus so he could tell me how to meet you. He seemed very nice even though the meeting was very brief. I'm so happy for you, Baby. I was always so worried about you. Scared that you'd never be able to be accepted, but from what I've heard from you and others, I couldn't have been farther from the truth. It really does ease my mind to know that you're happy and content with your life," Lily told him, looking like she would be tearing up if it were possible for spirits to do so. Harry just blushed and looked at his hands playing with the duvet on his bed.

"Well… I'm proud that Lord Beli chose me to be his necromancer, so I'm glad that you're happy for me too."

"I've got to go soon, Baby, but I'm so happy I finally got to speak to you and I know that you'll be able to speak to me whenever you want. I've got a favour to ask of you though, Honey." Harry looked at her when Lily looked vaguely uncomfortable, wondering what her request was going to be.

"What's that?"

"Will you tell your brother and sisters what happened? And tell them that your dad didn't know. He was on a mission with Remus and Sirius when it happened. I have no idea how they're going to explain my death to him, but as far as I'm aware he had nothing to do with it," Lily told him, making Harry wonder the same as Lily and mentally making a note to ask a family member to find out what James was told.

"I'll let them all know as soon as I can. And I'll tell them that you're fine," Harry reassured her, smiling when Lily gave him a small smile in return.

"Thank you, Baby. Stay safe for me, okay? And call for me whenever you want. But I've got to go now, apparently I can't stay with you for too long if I haven't been to the afterlife."

"Yeah, it's because you're depending entirely upon my energy to stay here and there's a risk that you might forget you're dead, or reject your death and use my energy to become a ghost or worse. Go ahead and go to the Green Room. I know how to call you should I need you!" Harry said cheerfully, not noticing the way Lily looked at him with sadness in her eyes before she disappeared from his room.

Once Lily was no longer present, Harry sent a quick text to Charlus to tell him that he would be trying to visit him within the next couple of days and then started to plan how he would be able to find time and get away from the manor without anyone getting suspicious. He suspected that he would have to get Barty's help with it.

* * *

When Lily left Harry behind, she arrived in a plain looking room with pale green walls and dark, forest green chairs in the room and a dark wooden coffee table in the middle of the chairs. Sitting on one of the chairs, was a short male who wouldn't look out of place in Ancient Egypt. A man she knew was actually Death.

"Welcome to the midway point between the living and the underworld, otherwise known as Annwfn. Please, take a seat. I wish to talk to you before you finally get to move on," Death, or Lord Beli as she recalled Harry and Ignotus Peverell called Him, gestured for her to take the seat nearest to him, which she did, all the while wondering why she felt so calm.

"Lord Beli," Lily greeted respectfully, bowing her head to Him as she took her seat. The handsome, exotic man smiled at her brightly and turned more in his seat to face her better. "Was there a reason you wished to speak to me, Lord Beli?"

"Yes, I just wished to speak to you about your son, Harry."

"What about him? Is he alright?" Lily asked, feeling an almost dulled feeling of panic and wondering why she wasn't feeling it fully.

Beli sighed a little and shook his head, making Lily notice that He had similar beads in His hair to Harry, though He had more and many of them were made of what looked to be solid gold. She also noticed what looked like a handmade blue friendship bracelet that looked slightly frayed tied around his wrist, the only reason she noticed it in the first place was because it didn't fit in with the rest of the opulent jewellery and clothing Death was wearing.

"There is nothing wrong with my little necromancer. I just wanted to ensure that you were completely aware of just what he is. He's not human. And nor is he fully alive anymore. But do not let that worry you. You have my word that I will protect him as much as I can. He is very… precious to me. You could say that I see him as my son," Beli told her, a fond smile on his lips as he was clearly thinking about Harry.

Lily wasn't entirely sure what to say to that. How did you react when a god told you they saw your child as their own? "I suppose I couldn't choose a better parental figure to have taken up where James and I failed miserably."

"Indeed. Still, you may have wondered why you could touch Harry even though you are just a spirit. It is because of the last ritual Harry did. It, sadly, also means he cannot touch any mortal without experiencing discomfort and even pain should the touch go on for too long. I'm telling you this because I worry about him. I would be highly grateful to you should you find some time to talk to him about it. See if he truly is coping as well as he is letting on."

"Why do you think he'd tell me?"

"You're his mother. Much as you haven't been around much in the last decade or so, you're still his mother and so you still have a connection to him that he cherishes. He knows what you did to protect him, that'll go a long way towards making him want to further your relationship."

"Okay. If you feel he actually will speak to me, then I will try. Is that everything?"

"It is. You should go on now before you become trapped here." Lily stared at Lord Beli for a few seconds before nodding her head and leaving through the door opposite the one she had entered the room by.

* * *

Beli watched as the mother of his favourite Necromancer left the Green Room (as Harry had named it) to go on to whatever her souls future may be within the halls of Annwfn. Moments after the soul of Lily Evans Potter left the room, Beli stood up and vanished from the room only to appear in the throne room of the Lord of Annwfn, Arawn.

"Well, well. What can I do for you, Lord Beli?" Arawn asked, looking up from whatever he had been reading before Beli had gatecrashed. "Seriously, why are you here, Beli? Did you forget to threaten me with something else the last time you were here? At least Amatheon isn't here. Small blessings," Arawn muttered under his breath with a suffering sigh and a roll of his eyes.

"Enough with the cheek, Arawn. I am here for other reasons besides my Necromancer, although I would like to know how you think he was when you last saw him?"

"He seemed to be alright. Though I did give him a way to get to Annwfn, you know, without having to die first, just in case he needs a way to escape. That way, he's not completely alone at least," Arawn admitted with a shrug of his shoulders, making Beli look at him appraisingly.

"Maybe I was wrong about your intentions towards my heir," Beli admitted making Arawn shrug before he shifted on his throne to sit forward.

"Is that the only reason for your visit, Beli, or was there something else you wished to talk about?"

"There was. Things are starting to heat up with the mortals. And soon, we will both have things we may wish to teach said mortals about."

"Right. I'm not getting what you're trying to say, Beli. You know I don't like your irritating riddles. Speak plainly, Beli," Arawn interrupted getting an annoyed look from Beli that could freeze fire. Not that Arawn looked like he was particularly affected, much to Beli's annoyance.

"If you wouldn't interrupt me, then perhaps I would be able to tell you what I came down here to say. Will you allow me to finish?" Beli asked, getting a roll of the eyes but also a nod from Arawn. "Thank you. As I was saying, we may soon need to become involved. I will be speaking to Amatheon about it shortly as well, but I felt I should let you know. Soon, it'll be time for The Hunt. You should get the Cwn Annwn ready."

* * *

Harry sighed to himself as he careful traced the right runes on Tom Riddle Snr's headstone to take him to Agrippa's hidden home. When the gate opened, Harry stepped through it, wondering just how he would be able to break the news to Charlus about their mother. A talk to Sylv and the Peverell brother's had told him that he should at least try to remember that Charlus, Rose and Dahlia would never get to see their mother again in the same way he would. Which, admittedly, was good advice given he  _did_  tend to forget that quite often.

Heaving a sigh as he glanced up at Agrippa's hidden castle -  _chateau_ as Agrippa would call it - Harry mentally steeled himself for the upcoming conversation and made his way up and into the building. A quick conversation with a house elf told Harry where he would find his brother and Agrippa and so he made his way to the spirit's personal library.

"Harry! What are you doing here?" Charlus exclaimed as soon as Harry walked into the room, a wide smile on his face that slowly faded as he took note of Harry's own unusually serious expression, "what's happened?"

"Charlie, maybe you should sit down for a minute," Harry said, motioning for Charlus to sit back in the chair he'd jumped up from and then taking the seat opposite him that Agrippa quickly moved from only to fade from the room altogether to give them privacy.

"What's happened, Harry? Is everything okay?" Charlus asked him once they were the only two in the room.

Harry sighed, "no, Charlie, everything isn't okay. It's about mum, Charlie."

"Mum? What's happened? Harry, tell me what's happened!" Charlus demanded, making Harry wonder why it was so hard to tell humans about their recently dearly departed. And when he stopped including himself in the human category.

"Right. I'm really sorry about this but see, a few hours ago I had a visitor. The kind only I can see, you know? Charlie, I'm sorry, but the visitor was mum," Harry said, mentally grimacing at the look of horror on his brother's face, before he seemed to pull himself together a little and looked at Harry with narrowed eyes.

"How did she die? And who did it?"

"I don't think you need to know that, Charlie. Trust me. What we need to decide though, is how to tell Rose and Dahlia. Do you know of a way we can contact them or even bring them here? I don't know how safe they'll be once they're no longer out of contact range," Harry said, expecting Charlus to possibly give him some idea on how to go forward. He certainly wasn't expecting Charlus to give a weak chuckle and shake his head.

"Contacting them will be easy, Harry. Don't start thinking like a wizard on me now. They're only out of range of owls. It'll be quite easy to just ring them. Though I don't know how we can bring them here. I think it'd be best to tell them the news about mum face to face. It wouldn't be fair to let them know over the phone," Charlus told him, which admittedly was something even Harry could have agreed with.

"Okay, you ring them and tell me where they are. I'll contact My Lord and will bring them to us, should Lord Beli agree, on the next new moon, which should be in two days time. I can't really bring them any sooner than that though. Do they know what I look like?"

"Midget with beaded black hair and creepy black eyes, rocking the 'I just stepped out of Ancient Egypt, ask me about Cleopatra' look? Yeah, they know. You're not really someone easily confused with other people, little bro."

"Cheers," Harry deadpanned, wondering what he'd done to make his loving brother so brutally honest. "And don't ask me about Cleopatra. I know nothing about her. And Lord Beli didn't particularly like her either. He did like Nefertiti though," Harry added absently, ignoring the strange look Charlus sent him before shaking his head and flipping open his phone - and Harry was going to ignore his burning jealousy that yet another person he knows has a damned flip phone. He was starting to think everyone had one but him.

You'd think speaking to the dead and being the almost adopted child of Death (according to every immortal god he'd ever met) would give you some benefits. Other than partial immortality that is. That didn't count. It wasn't a flip phone.

"Harry? When you've finished glaring at me, Rose and Dahlia said to give them a text when you're going to fetch them. Do you think I was right not to tell them?" Charlus asked, breaking Harry out of his minor moment of self-pity to listen to what his brother had to say and feeling slightly uncomfortable at the thought of having to give more sympathy. He didn't think patting his siblings on the back and saying there, there would really cut it.

"No, you probably did the right thing. Like you said, it's not really the kind of news to break over the phone, is it?" Harry reassured, wondering if he was giving the right advice. It wasn't like he was the expert. When someone died, it wasn't exactly going to be the last time he spoke to them or saw them. Death just wasn't a barrier to him. Fact of life really. Or death…

"Okay, let me know when you know what time you'll be collecting them our time and I'll tell them when to expect you. When do you think you'll know?"

"I'll go speak to Lord Beli now. Be back in a little while," Harry told him with a smile - that he tried not to make too bright, given the situation and all. He totally understood mourning. Or whatever.

Nodding to himself and not noticing the odd like Charlus shot him as he left the room, Harry made his way to a small private office like room a few doors down from the room Charlus was in.

As soon as he entered, Harry was a little startled to see that Lord Beli was already in there waiting for him without Harry having to even call Him. Upon seeing Him, Harry immediately bowed; trying to wipe off the stupidly goofy smile he knew was on his face.

"You should know by now that you do not need to bow to me, Little Necromancer," Beli told him, making Harry straighten up and move further into the room to take the seat opposite Beli.

"Sorry, it's habit. Um… I'm guessing you know why I wanted to call you and speak to you?"

"I did. And you're plan to bring your sisters to you on the new moon will work. That will be the best and safest time for them to travel that way with you." Beli told him before shifting slightly in His chair and piercing Harry with an intense stare. "How are you feeling, Horatio?"

Harry stared at Beli with a little shock, before mentally shaking himself out of it and answering, "I'm fine. Really. Why wouldn't I be? It's not like I'll never see her again."

"That is, I suppose, very true for you. As long as you are okay, then I shall leave you so you can get back to your brother. Just remember, Horatio, that your mortal siblings will feel very differently about death than you do. They do not have to option of seeing your mother again. Tread carefully, my little necromancer," Beli cautioned him before standing and with a bow of his head to Harry - which left Harry in slight stunned disbelief for a few seconds - vanished from the room.

Once he got over his shock that Lord Beli had bowed to him, no matter how small and barely there the bow was, Harry slowly got up and walked out of the room to give his brother the news.

* * *

Harry quickly finished the last couple of runes he needed to create a gate between him and where his sisters were waiting for him in an old cemetery somewhere in Mexico - Harry was still slightly baffled as to how they'd managed to convince half of wizarding Britain that Mexico was an Owl deadzone - and tried to ignore the burning gaze of Charlus as he watched Harry.

"Right. I'll go and collect them and bring them back straight away. It shouldn't take me longer than five minutes. Don't try to follow me and don't touch the headstone I'm using. Basically, just stand there and look pretty!" Harry said with a bright smile at Charlus, who just rolled his eyes before giving a nod, and Harry nodded back before activating the gate and stepping through.

Upon arriving where Ignotus had directed him, Harry stepped out of the gate and looked around, immediately spotting the only two mortals lingering in the long abandoned cemetery.

"Harry?" The red-head young woman, who Harry immediately recognised as Rose, called out softly, getting the attention of both Harry and her black-haired twin, Dahlia.

"Hey, Rose. Dahlia. You two ready to go to Charlie? He's waiting for us in Germany," Harry told them, quickly checking behind him to make sure the gate hadn't inexplicably closed behind him.

"Yeah. Charlie said to listen to everything you said and not to panic? Why would he tell us that, by the way? Aren't we going to just get a portkey or apparate?" Dahlia asked, her voice a lot quieter than Rose's and making Harry have to strain to actually hear her fully.

And then frown at her question. Surely she knew why he didn't live with them. "Um… well no, because I'm technically a squib. I have my own brand of magic to get us to Charlie and well, I imagine he warned you because my mode can be slightly disorienting for anyone not like me."

"What do you mean, not like you?" Rose asked, moving to stand in front of Harry with Dahlia close behind her, both looking at him in confusion.

"Er… Well, I'm a necromancer. So I can talk to the dead and I use death energy which I guess would be kind of like magic to you. Really though, we should get a move on. I can only keep the gate open for so long before it becomes unstable. And you really don't want to be in there when it's unstable," Harry told them whilst ushering them forward with his hands. "Oh, and when we step through, whatever happens, don't let go of me, okay?"

"Okay…" Dahlia said, glancing at Rose next her and the two seemingly had a whole conversation with one look before they both nodded and stepped forward, each grabbing one of Harry's hands.

Harry sent a quick glance to each of his sisters to make sure they were holding his hand tight, gave them what he hoped (and assumed, no one had actually ever told him otherwise) was a reassuring nod and stepped through the gate. He tightened his grip on each of the hands placed in his when he felt them both tug slightly, and carried on walking through the gate as fast as he could without actually running. Its probably safe to say that they all breathed a sigh of relief when they made it out the other side.

Rose and Dahlia both squeezed his hands at the same time - he really did wonder if there was something to the whole twin thing - before letting go and running over to where Charlus was waiting for them and both tackling him to the floor.

Harry smiled as he watched them before turning to Antioch and raising an eyebrow at the spirit, who clearly had something to say. "You know, the creepy lurky thing doesn't really work when I'm the only one who can see you."

"Indeed. That isn't why I'm here. I'm assuming that you want to perform your mother's last rites in the traditional necromantic way?"

"Yeah, I did. Though I dunno if it's possible or if Charlie, Rose and Dahlia would even agree to it."

"It is possible. As to your second worry, that would be best to ask them. But first, do you not think you and your brother should tell your sisters just why they're here in the first place? Call for me when you are ready and my brothers and I will come to help you. Our Lord sent the official robes for you whilst you were collecting your sisters, you'll find them in the room you met with Him in. Congratulations, Horatio. You are officially Our Lord's Necromantic Lord and Priest. You have achieved what every necromancer aimed for but none ever accomplished. Don't let it go to your head," Antioch added dryly when Harry just stared at him without blinking for a good few minutes.

It was only when Charlus called his name that he actually broke out of his shock and smiled brightly at the spot Antioch had been standing in before he'd apparently left during Harry's moment of stunned disbelief, and then turning around to look at his siblings.

"Right. I guess we should all go inside and talk about why we're all together again, huh?" Harry said, wincing a little at his inability to be articulate. He really hoped Death didn't have a spokesperson. Because Harry wasn't entirely sure he'd make Death look all that great. Though on the bright side, he didn't think it was possible to make Death look much worse.

Together the four siblings all trudged back up through the cemetery to the chateau, where, as soon as they got to the main study Charlus spent most of his time in, Harry and Charlus sat opposite their sisters and they all went silent. Mostly because neither brother really knew how to break the news.

"So how come you brought us here? And um… what did you do?" Dahlia asked, looking at Harry to show exactly what she was talking about. Harry fidgeted a little before giving a sigh.

"It's how I said earlier. I'm a necromancer. Which actually means I'm not really human. I'm certainly not a wizard. I can see the spirits of people who have passed on and I literally have Death running through my veins."

"Everyone can see ghosts though," Dahlia pointed out quietly, looking highly confused by the whole conversation and making Harry have to hold back a sigh. He really did wish he wasn't the only necromancer around and thus had to explain everything about them.

"And don't necromancers practise black magic and raise the dead?" Rose then asked, both the twins starting to look a little uncomfortable.

"Yeah, that's so not true. Rose, what you see are people who refused to accept their death. I can see anyone. And Dahlia, raising the dead is an abominable act. I would never do such a thing. It's disrespectful to the dead. They've done their part and who are the living to demand they do more when all they deserve now is rest!" Harry said, breathing a little heavily by the end of his impromptu rant. When he glanced up and noticed all three of his siblings staring at him, he felt a blush light up his face and he quickly looked back down at his hands resting on his knees. "Sorry. I'm a little bit defensive about raising the dead. It gets me a bit angry."

"Um… it's fine, Harry. Ain't it?" Charlus said, looking pointedly at the twins, who were looking no less uncomfortable but at least no longer looked like they were going to run screaming from Harry at the first possible chance.

"Yeah. Sorry for accusing you of something like that," Rose whispered, Dahlia nodding her head in fervent agreement.

"It's alright. You didn't know."

"So um… why are we here? Not that we're not happy to finally meet you properly! I mean, neither of us can really remember you from our childhood though mum and Charlus spoke about you nearly all the time until a few years back. But yeah, isn't there another reason?"

"Right. Yeah. Um… Charlie?" Harry asked, ignoring the slightly betrayed look that Charlie gave him and instead returning it with a slightly weak smile and a nod of his head towards their sisters.

"Fine. I'm really sorry but the news is bad. Things with the war have, well they've really escalated and you know how mum was so worried that she made you two leave so that no one could use you against us?" Charlie asked, getting slow nods from both sisters, who were watching the two brothers warily and starting to get a small dawning look on their faces like they knew exactly where Charlus was going with this. Charlus opened his mouth and then closed it a couple of times before turning to look helplessly at Harry.

Harry.

The guy who so regularly talked to the dead that it was more likely he would socialise with you once you became the dearly departed than when you were actually alive.

Still, Harry gave a small sigh and then shifted in his chair once more to face his sisters face on.

"You know what I am. The thing is, if I'm related to a person, then it doesn't matter where they died, they will still be able to come talk to me once they have accepted their death and passed on. Because I'm the  _only_  necromancer about, it means Death - Lord Beli to me - gives me certain liberties. Normally, when I person dies, it takes anywhere between an hour to as long as a week for the person to accept their death enough to find me. However, this time… Well, Lord Beli ensured that the person came to see me even before they could truly accept their death," Harry gave a small sigh, silently wondering if maybe he should have said who had died before he actually said that someone they knew had died. Like, he could quite get rid of the feeling that he'd started telling a joke with the punchline first.

Really. He truly hoped that he didn't have to become some sort of official spokesperson.

Or at the very least, Lord Beli paid for him to take a public spokesperson course of some sort.

"Harry? Charlie? Who… who came to visit?" Dahlia asked in a quiet voice, sounding like she didn't actually want to know the answer to her question.

"Mum." Charlus said bluntly, which just made Harry wonder if shitty bad news giving was bred into their genes. If it was, he blamed the Peverell side.

"What?"

"I'm really sorry."

"Who?! How? What do you mean?" Rose asked, jumping up from her seat to pace a little whilst Dahlia just stared down at his lap and sniffled quietly.

"The… the Order got desperate. They— Well, they suspected mum knew something about where either Charlie or myself were. They decided to get the information from her. You have to know, though, that dad wasn't involved. He had been sent on a mission with Remus and Sirius. Admittedly I have no idea how they'll explain it to dad, but yeah…" Harry trailed off and just gave a small shrug, not really sure what else to say and feeling slightly guilty for making his sisters look devastated.

"No. Maybe you were mistaken," Rose said, shaking her head and glaring at Harry, whilst Dahlia continued to just stare at hands in her lap.

"I'm sorry—"

"No! No, you're wrong. I mean, I don't even know you and yet we're supposed to believe this random story that you can speak to the dead and our mum went to you?!" Rose shouted at him. Harry just stared back at her with wide eyes, before giving a silent sigh of relief when Charlus stood up and walked to stand in front of Harry.

" _I_  believe him, Day. I'm sorry. I know you don't want to hear it, but he's telling the truth. Why would he lie about that? Why would  _anyone_  lie about that?! You knew there was a war happening! Mum knew she was in danger. Don't spit on her sacrifice to us by refusing to believe just what it was she gave up for us just so we could be safe!" Charlus yelled at Rose, breathing heavily as he stared down the red-head of the two twins. Harry and Dahlia both just stared at their siblings with wide eyes, and the silence in the room just seemed to grow more oppressive the longer it stayed.

Finally unable to take the tension and needing some way to dispel it a little - and partly feeling like it was his fault anyway - Harry stood up abruptly and cleared his throat, getting the attention of the other three almost immediately.

"There's um… I can give you um… I can help? Make you feel better. Sort of. I mean. Yeah…" Harry trailed off as he realised that standing up without a clear idea of what you were going to say really just made you come out with a load of bollocks.

"Harry?"

"There's a ritual. A necromantic one. Proper necromancy, I mean, not that twisted facsimile of a farce that dark wizards do to try and make themselves feel like they actually have power over Death. They don't. They're idiots," Harry muttered with a frown on his face at the mere thought of anyone thinking they were better than Lord Beli.

"Um.. Harry? What is the ritual?" Charlus asked, whilst Dahlia grabbed Rose's hand and tugged her to sit back down in her seat once more then turned to look curiously at Harry as well.

"Oh, yes. Right. See, it's sort of like a celebration. Of their life and of their death. It can help them move on too. I mean, to necromancers, death is all a part of life. None of us fear it because we know who will watch over us when we get to what's on the other side. There's nothing to fear of the unknown if you know you'll be protected no matter what awaits you. Lord Beli will protect everyone. So yeah. We celebrate the fact that the loved one who has passed on will get another chance and has been welcomed back into Lord Beli's embrace," Harry told them with a wide smile on his face, quite aware that we was waxing a little to poetically about Lord Beli but not giving one ounce of care. He loved his Lord and he was damned proud of that fact.

"That sounds… kinda nice. Creepy and slightly fanatical, but nice too. What do we do? Can we still join in even though we're not necromancers?" Charlus asked, whilst even Dahlia and Rose were starting to look like they were interested in what Harry had to say.

"Of course you can. Back when necromancers were commonplace and were respected, they would perform this ritual whenever someone in the village or town they lived in had died. It's meant to give peace to the deceased  _and_ , more importantly, those they've left behind. Necromancers, well, we don't quite have the same reaction to death that normal humans do. We  _know_ that we'll see them again and chances are high, that if we want to speak to them, they'll appear to us when asked for. But you don't have that option. Therefore this ritual was made. It'll allow you to say bye for now to mum. You'll get to see her one last time until the time for you to make your own crossing comes. It's me, sharing a tiny part of my gift, to you."

"And you can do this?" Rose asked him, speaking up against for the first time since she'd yelled at him, looking slightly apologetic for her earlier behaviour. Something Harry completely forgave her for anyway. It wasn't like he broke the news to her in the best of fashions.

"Yeah. I can."

"Okay…" Rose said with a nod before looking to Dahlia.

"What do we need to do?" Dahlia asked once Rose glanced at her.

"You don't really need to do anything. Just decide where you want to do this. Traditionally it was done outside, in the village or town centre, and around a large bonfire. But if you want, we can do it in one of the ballrooms in here. The only thing we need is a fire of some sort."

"We might as well go outside then. We can set up the fire, if you want. Do you need to do anything?" Charlus asked and Harry gave a small nod, recalling what Antioch had told his earlier in the evening.

"Yeah, I need to change. If you go and sort out the bonfire then, I'll go and get changed. We can do this in the courtyard at the front," Harry told them, moving out of the room and glancing behind him to see that his siblings were following him, which they were.

"Do you have everything you need here?"

"Yeah. It's been left for me. I'll meet you all downstairs in a bit," Harry told them, pausing by the door to the room his clothing was apparently in. He got nods of agreement from his three siblings before they all made their way down the stairs to presumably start a fire whilst Harry got ready. Watching them leave, Harry then took a deep sigh and walked into the room with his robes inside.

Approximately ten minutes later, Harry walked out of the front doors to the courtyard, where a large bonfire had been built and Charlus, Rose and Dahlia were all huddled together, talking quietly and looking somewhat confused and sad. A strange combination that before now, Harry hadn't been aware was all too possible.

All three stopped talking and gaped at Harry when they noticed him. Standing there in the ceremonial robes of the necromancer, wearing a short thigh length white robe around his waist, with a deep blue belt wrapped around his waist. On his feet he wore papyrus sandals and to complete the look he wore a long, full body transparent white robe with a leopard skin shawl wrapped around his shoulders. In his hand he held a large staff that looked like an old shepherds crook if it wasn't for the over-sized metal ankh hanging from the end. Shuffling a little where he stood, the stares of his siblings were starting to make Harry feel just the slightest bit uncomfortable.

"Um…"

"Whoa. You look…" Charlus trailed off, at a loss for words as he clearly stared at Harry's thick kohl-lined eyes.

"Egyptian?" Rose suggested, like both her sister and brother, unable to take her eyes of their strangely noble looking estranged brother.

"Yeah. Lord Beli has a thing about Egypt. Dunno why. So… shall we start? You don't really need to do anything. It's a private ceremony so it's not like you need to impress any local bigwigs with your selection of nuts and pies. Or whatever they ate in the dark ages," Harry admitted with a small shrug, walking over to stand in front of them and really hoping that they would eventually stop staring at him like they expected him to pull the Book of the Dead out of thin air and start a weird-ass ancient ritual.

Not that he didn't, possibly, make his own collection of canonic jars when he was younger…

"Right. Okay. Still with the creepy staring," Harry muttered to himself, before shrugging and deciding to just get on with it. Eventually they'd have something way more interesting to stare at.

Harry moved a bit closer to the now roaring heat of the fire and stretched his arms out straight in front of him, holding the staff parallel to the floor and so close to the fire that he could feel the tight itchy burn starting on his knuckles. Nibbling his lip and taking a deep breath, Harry exhaled slowly and started to move.

He spun around on the spot, moving the staff to one hand and slamming it on the floor as he spun a full circle, the barely audible sound of wood hitting compacted ground completely drowned out by the sound of a large gong sounding. At the sound of the gong, Harry began to hum. A strange, almost tuneless tone, that made the hairs on the arms of the watching Potter siblings rise on end, as Harry continued to gracefully twirl and seemingly sporadically bang the staff on the ground.

As Harry started to move his feet, spinning and almost dancing around the fire, he would stop every so often to stare at the fire and raise his hands in the air, making the fire roar even louder and burn even bright. The flames somehow getting higher each time even though no more wood was added. And all the time, Harry continued to hum the same note and bang the end of the staff on the ground on each completed turn.

Then, as soon as Harry reached the spot he'd started on, he thrust the staff into the fire and let out a guttural sounding word that neither of the siblings could quite make out. And as though all the oxygen had been ripped from the fire, the bonfire faded to just embers floating up and dancing in the now still air.

Charlus, Rose and Dahlia stared at the strange sight their brother made in his ceremonial robes, standing into front of glowing hot logs, and with burning embers almost playfully dancing and twirling around him. They couldn't move from the spot as Harry suddenly spun to face them, his eyes glowing an unnatural sapphire blue and the kohl around his eyes now pure gold instead of thick black.

"Rejoice in the life of Lily Potter. Remember the things she did in life and celebrate the things she will do in the next! We're here to say our goodbyes until we too can look forward to when our next meeting shall be," Harry intoned in a voice that sounded like the voices of all past necromancers speaking at once. "It is by the grace of Our Merciful and Dark Protector, Lord Beli, that we are able to hold this celebration tonight. May the Lord of all who shall leave us hear our wish and allow us out last goodbyes. We, the children of Lily Potter, plead with our Merciful Lord Beli to hear us!"

Harry shouted the last sentence and swung the staff above his head before bringing it back down to the ground with a crash and swinging it towards the burning embers and logs of the dying bonfire all in one smooth motion.

And as he stood in front of the bonfire, breathing heavily from the effort, a tiny spark formed and the dancing embers all seemed to move together and created the image of a smiling Lily Potter.

"My beautiful babies, all together again. I'm so sorry I had to leave you behind but I know that together you'll be able to stand up to anything," the echoey voice of Lily told them, pride clear to hear by all witnessing this strange event. The siblings all just stared at the image of their mother, stunned by what they were seeing and also a little bit sad over the absolute proof now in front of them that Harry was, indeed, not mistaken.

Lily Potter had died for her children's freedom.

So tonight they would do her the honour of celebrating that achievement.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N - So, I'm really sorry about the long wait for this chapter! I've been really ill for the last two months now and no one really knows what's wrong with me other than it's affecting my asthma, so basically they can't really do anything for me. Bleh. So yeah. Not much of an excuse but I'm working on what feels like half a lung right now, so… yay? 
> 
> Anywho, I've been writing this chapter on and off, so I definitely haven'y abandoned this fic! I promise! I can't promise quick updates but I can promise that I will eventually get a chapter out! And hopefully have a word with my lungs so that we're all on the same page and I can become somewhat more productive again! Woo! 
> 
> I hope everyone liked this chapter! I'm sorry that Lily died (to all those that genuinely believed Harry would actually be able to help her… Really?! Harry?!), but well, she kinda had to. This chapter has been planned pretty much from the start. This is the chapter. You know? The one where shit starts to actually happen. *Snickers* Sort of. 
> 
> Fact of the Chapter: Apparently, in Ancient Egypt, wearing bright red lipstick meant that you were good at oral sex… (and in a similar theme, koala's have three vaginas. Actually, most (all? Maybe… possibly…) marsupials have three vaginas… Which strikes me as a little greedy and something of a logistical nightmare to er… navigate. I'm starting to think I totally misunderstood something about this… Or was lied to.


	24. Chapter Twenty-Three

 

Chapter Twenty-Three

Harry stayed with his siblings after the ceremony that he had performed for a couple of days before he realised - well, Severus told Antioch who told him - that Voldemort was starting to become suspicious about something – probably his absence but Severus was apparently strangely silent on  _what_  Voldemort was actually suspicious about – and therefore had to return to Riddle manor before things become even more difficult for the family.

Before he left, however, he told his brother and sisters to contact him any time should they need him and of course he gave extra energy to Agrippa so he could also both keep them company and act as an emergency contact should their phones not work.

Right that moment, however, Harry was trying to seem nonchalant as he walked through the halls of Riddle Manor, totally acting like he'd been there all along and what do you mean you couldn't find him for the past week? Though the funny looks the Death Eaters kept sending him made him think it wasn't quite working how he hoped.

He was actually on his way to Barty's rooms hoping that the man was in there as he really should start working on helping him connect with Ceridwen before the war actually finished.

Knocking, he quickly opened the door when he was called out to enter and shut it behind him again, smiling brightly at Barty before glancing to the side and feeling utterly baffled at the strangely familiar person also sitting in the room.

"Er… how am I already here?" Harry asked, looking from his doppelgänger to Barty and then back again, seriously beginning to worry that somewhere in the future he totally fucks up with a TARDIS or something.

"It's a golem. I figured that would be the easiest way to allay suspicion about where you have been for the last couple of days. It was easier to make because you don't have any magic that anyone knows of so I didn't have to use as much of my magic to make a false impression in the golem. It worked, by the way. No one suspects a thing. Though it's good you came back when you did because well, the golem is wearing down. It stopped speaking a few hours ago and so we've been hiding in my room since then. I don't even want to consider the rumours going around right now because of that," Barty admitted with a wicked grin, before twitching slightly and then wincing at whatever just went through his mind.

Probably the same thing that went through his own mind: wonder what Marcus made of the rumours no doubt flying around. Actually, the thought made Harry want to sigh and shudder a little, so he couldn't fault Barty if he had the same reaction. Turning to look at the golem of himself once more before giving a small shrug and shudder, he moved to sit on the bed.

"Well, thank you! And sorry for any problems the rumours might cause," Harry said with a sheepish grin before trying to look serious once more, which going by Barty's suddenly suspicious look, didn't really help much.

"Is there something else I can do for you, Harry? Or did you just want to let me know you were back?"

"Actually, there is. I figured I should start helping you connect with Ceridwen when she isn't physically near to you, kind of like I do with lord Beli. Only, you know, without being able to call Her to you by shaking some old suspiciously acquired bones."

"I see. And is it hard to do?"

"Er… depends on you, really. You need to learn it either way because it'll help prepare you for what's to come," Harry said, not exactly trying to be ominous with that but failing exceedingly in coming across as blasé.

"What's to come?"

"Yeah, you know, war and… stuff," Harry trailed off with a shrug, not entirely sure what else they would be prepping for other than the ever-likely war that was looming ominously on the horizon. Not that war could actually do anything other than loom ominously. Or loom at all in fact. Well, he supposed Aeron could quite possibly loom rather well.

"Harry? You drifted a little," Barty pointed out when Harry jerked and looked at him questioningly. "How am I supposed to connect to Ceridwen then?"

"You need to find your core," Harry explained, moving to stretch out on the bed and grabbing a book from the bedside table and flipping through it.

"My core? Like my magical core?" Barty asked him.

Harry hummed and then paused in what he was doing and looked up at Barty. "Magical core? You have those?"

"Where did you think our magic came from?"

"Er… Ceridwen."

"Well, yes, but where did you think we drew it from when we used it?" Barty asked him with an almost forced sense of patience, which Harry only just caught and grinned sheepishly at him.

"Yeah, okay. I see your point. And to answer your question, no, not your magical core. Your actual core. Like the centre of your body. Though, I suppose your magical core may be found there," Harry added as an after thought.

"What should I be looking for?" Barty asked from where he was now sitting on the floor, with his eyes shut and quite possibly meditating. Harry grinned at the sight before lying down on the bed once more and going back to his book.

"Nothing. There's nothing to see. I mean, I suppose you could imagine something. But it's not actually there. You're trying to find the sensation of your core. It's sort of um… well, for me it's the feeling of cold and isolation, but in a good way. You know. Death. So whatever you associate magic with, it's that feeling. But seriously though, I don't think you can actually see your core. That would be insane."

Barty looked over his shoulder at Harry and stared at him. "My magical core is a deep sea blue colour. If you meditate enough, you can find it. All pureblood children learn how at a young age, it helps us connect with our magic and lessens the chance of accidental magic."

"Huh. Weird. Well, don't look for that. Just try to find the er… feeling. Seriously. Actually, I suppose you could find your magical core, feel what it er… feels like and then go along with it. Or something."

"You don't actually know, do you?" Barty asked, turning around to face Harry fully.

Harry just shifted to sit up once more, then shrugged his shoulders and grinned sheepishly. "I honestly have no idea. Lord Beli gave me bones to call Him and before that He generally knew when I needed Him. But really, Ceridwen gave you your magic, so surely your magical core should connect you to Her. Just, give it a try? If not, we'll go sit in the cemetery and see if you can connect that way. Though, given you're  _not_  trying to contact Death, it may not be as helpful as it is to me…" Harry trailed off and gave a small nervous laugh when he saw Barty was glaring at him. Which was actually quite intimidating when you considered that Barty was an insane convicted murderer who frequently went out and slaughtered hundreds of muggles. For fun.

"Fine. I'll meditate and try and connect with Ceridwen. If that doesn't work, maybe you should ask someone who might actually know," Barty suggested blandly, staring at Harry until he fidgeted before he turned back around and started meditating once more with a small sigh.

"How long am I going to stand there silently staring at us, by the way?"

* * *

The day started as Harry felt it, unfortunately,` was going to continue - in simple terms, something startled him and somehow Harry woke up by falling out of a king size bed. Something Harry felt was actually quite the achievement and would have felt quite accomplished about it  _if_  he hadn't gotten a black eye from it and possibly some serious internal injury due to the fact he also had a bedside table and wasn't lucky enough to not hit that on his descent towards the floor.

So basically, once he'd finally realised where the hell he was, what had gone on and more importantly  _who_  he was - and had finally succeeded in shutting up the cruel snickering from Antioch and Ignotus - Harry quite rightly came to the conclusion that it would probably be better to just go back to bed because it was just going to be one of those days.

He probably would have gone back to bed if he hadn't had a fear that he was severely concussed and would never wake up again. Plus he really wanted to get away from the cackling of Ignotus and Antioch.

So now Harry was skulking around Riddle Manor looking for a relatively friendly Death Eater, which even in his head was possibly a really strange oxymoron. And he wasn't really succeeding if only because for the most part most of the Death Eaters were either wary of him or outright terrified of him. So it made slim pickings for conversation. And even Harry wasn't quite masochistic enough to go and chat with Marcus who  _still_ hadn't gotten over the rumours he had heard and the subsequent betrayal he had felt form said rumours.

As an aside, Harry had actually found great amusement from some of the rumours and genuinely wanted to know the reaction of Voldemort to a couple of them. Just because he could almost imagine the sheer annoyance on the man's face at having to hear smutty rumours about one of his top Death Eaters and the insanely irritating necromancer that was currently haunting (because there really was no other word for it) his manor.

Of course none of that helped Harry currently, as when he sat down at a table with a couple of Death Eaters that he vaguely knew not to immediately throw Unforgivables at the freakish squib, they all promptly remembered something they needed to do.

At the next table.

It actually made Harry recall his entire secondary school life in painful detail before he sighed to himself and gave up. Instead of finding someone to talk to - given that Marcus was a no go and Barty was currently hiding in his room meditating and apparently found Harry far too distracting to actually be of any help - Harry decided to grab a book to read instead.

It was whilst reading this book that Harry got an unexpected visitor and the Death Eaters present got the shock of their lives. Much to the surprise of Harry and everyone else in the room, about twenty minutes after Harry had sat down with his book, Mabon appeared next to him. Having apparently apparated into a room, in fact a manor, that was covered with wards to prevent such a thing.

Basically, Mabon totally fucked Harry over and didn't even ask him if he had a nice time afterwards.

"Er…" Harry just stared at the god doing a passable job of trying to blend in even though who he was blending in with was muggles in their late teens. Probably. It certainly wasn't highly suspicious muggle-phobic Death Eaters.

"Is there somewhere we can talk privately?"

"Er…" Harry admittedly was still a little stuck on the fact that Mabon had just appeared in the room in a way that should have been impossible and was now totally  _not_  acting like he didn't know who Harry was. However, he soon registered Mabon's question and shook himself out of his stupor to answer him. "Right. Private. Yeah, there is. Follow me."

So, with a small sigh and silently yelling at himself for not just risking the concussion and possible coma by staying in bed, Harry led Mabon through the halls and suddenly seemingly numerous Death Eaters wandering them and took him to his room, where luckily Antioch and Ignotus were no longer there. So at least  _something_ was going well that day.

Once they'd closed the door and taken seats in his room, Harry turned to Mabon and raised an eyebrow, "so what do you need to tell me before, you know, I get interrogated about why I know the mysterious man who apparently managed to pop through the impenetrable wards surrounding this place?"

"Ah, sorry about that, but I thought you really needed to hear this news."

"What news?!" Harry asked, really starting to question his lifestyle choices. Mostly those choices that were the ones that led to him having contact with any gods. Other than Lord Beli. Because let's be honest, the apocalypse could have happened resulting from Harry meeting Lord Beli and Harry would not have regretted it in the least.

"You know by now that the ridiculous wizarding war has escalated. In fact, it hasn't just got the gods attention, the muggles have started to take notice as well. We've tried to keep an eye on them as best as we can. I came to warn you however that many muggles are now leaving Britain and there is rumours going around that world leaders will soon be meeting to discuss the strange goings on in Britain. Said world leaders will obviously know of the wizarding world and so they will actually be aware of what is happening. However, we have no idea what they will actually be discussing and nor do we know what conclusions they will come to. Lord Beli found out that I would be coming to warn you about this today and asked me to also warn you that soon there will be more deaths in the world than you have ever experienced before," Mabon warned him, making Harry frown in confusion and also try to settle the uneasy feeling in his stomach the news was causing him.

"What do you mean? I'm not usually affected by any deaths unless I either know the person or live close to them."

"You performed the final ritual to leave half of your soul behind in the afterlife. You are now very intimately entwined with death. You'll soon find that you will start to feel something, I'm not sure what but probably great discomfort of some kind, whenever large masses of people die. And there will be large masses of deaths if this war goes how we fear it might go. Have you spoken with any seers recently? Dead or alive?"

"No, I haven't felt a need to. Do you think I should?"

"Only if you feel you have to. Or if you are in need of advice. Right now, the seers are possibly the only ones, other than yourself and the gods, who are truly prepared for what is to come. I came to warn you to stay alert. We fear the muggles may soon take a step towards entering a war they are greatly unprepared to join. And should they do so and find themselves overwhelmed, we fewer what step they may then take. And  _who_  they will blame for the mess."

"Right. Well… that's not good. For anyone. Has Barty made any progress in contacting Ceridwen? Is there nothing they can do?"

"Not right now. He has made progress though and I imagine Ceridwen will soon be going to tell him much of what I have just told you," Mabon told him with a small shrug before turning to face Harry once more with a serious look on his face. "Now, I've got to leave again soon, but I need to know, you do have a way of escape should the worst happen and Britain become a target for the other muggle countries, right?"

"Yeah, I do. I mean, Lord Arawn gave me a way to enter Annfwn safely without him, so yeah. I could always use that should it come to it. And I do live right next to a cemetery so there's no shortage of gate props so to speak. What are the gods going to do now?"

"Exactly what we have been doing. Keep an eye on the situation and if we can, try to diffuse it from the muggle side of things. My sister and I will keep working in your shop so that we can find out any muggle gossip going on seeing as the citizens of Little Hangleton seem to be the least affected by all the strangeness going on. Either that or they're a little desensitised to it all having lived near you and the Gaunt's for centuries now."

"Oh. Okay then. But um… should it look like there's no hope for Britain, or should things escalate a bit too much with the wizards, could you maybe encourage the people around here to follow the flock and leave Britain if they can?"

"I very much doubt they're that immune to weirdness that they'll remain even when everyone else has left, but yes. Should they look to not be leaving, I'll encourage them where I can to leave. Now, if that is everything, I should be going. Stay safe, Horatio and for the love of all things youthful, please don't hesitate to call for Beli, Arawn or Amatheon should you need their help."

"Of course I will. Thank you for the warning, Mabon," Harry said quietly, watching the strange god give him a slight nod before he left the room. Harry sighed to himself in the empty room as he mental wondered just how long it would be before Lord Voldemort heard of his visitor and questioned him about it.

* * *

It actually took longer than Harry thought it would for Voldemort to drag him before him to question him about who the mysterious visitor was. A whole week. Which Harry nervously told Ignotus was probably how long it took to accurately plan out how to torture the information from him. To which Ignotus had calmly patted him on the back and told him to suck it up.

Because apparently sympathy and calming words were beyond something the dead could give him.

So here Harry was, nervously standing in front of Voldemort whilst the horde of Death Eaters stood behind him, possibly to make sure he didn't make a break for it. Not that Harry would. Running wasn't one of his skills.

"Mr Peverell, it has come to my attention that you had a visitor last week who managed to break through my wards. You did not bring said visitor to me, and my loyal Death Eaters informed me that you then took the intruder into your private room and had a conversation with him that lasted for some time. And yet, again, you did not come to tell me what that conversation was about. Now, Mr Peverell, now is your time to rectify that," Voldemort said in his hypnotically sibilant voice that made Harry wonder just how long he had before he would be meeting Lord Beli in a way neither of them really wanted to meet for a long time.

"Ah, right. That. What if I refuse?" Harry asked, silently screaming at himself wondering what the hell he said that for. Never mind the fact that he really wasn't sure he could actually say what Mabon told him because quite frankly, Harry would rather piss Voldemort off than piss off several gods.

No matter how laid back and nice Mabon seemingly comes across.

"I'm afraid I must have misheard you, Mr Peverell. Or you misheard me because I do not recall giving you a choice. Now, perhaps you would like to rethink your first answer."

"No. Nope. I'm sorry, but I can't tell you what was said. Besides, it really is none of your business," Harry added, because apparently he really didn't know how to keep his mouth shut and not irritate Voldemort.

"In that case, Mr Peverell, I am sorry I have to do this.  _Stupefy_ ," and Harry knew nothing else as the bright red light of the spell hit him.

* * *

Harry woke up confused as to what had happened and wondering just where the hell he was, before his shifting made the sound of chains rattle and he was swiftly reminded of what had happened, though he still wasn't too sure where he was. Sitting up properly and groaning quietly at seeing chains around his ankles attached to the wall. Deciding to face whatever was going on, Harry sat up properly and moved to lean against the wall, before looking around the room which he soon realised what Voldemort's office.

"Er…"

"Ah, I had wondered when you would wake up, Mr Peverell. As you can see, I didn't take too kindly to your refusal to answer my question. So I have decided to make a use of you seeing as you have proven to be nothing else but an annoyance up to now," Voldemort explained, making Harry feel slightly nervous as to how he was going to be made useful now.

So, obviously, he asked exactly that, "How exactly are you going to make me useful?"

"I'm glad you asked, Mr Peverell. You see, there is one thing that I have strove for more than anything, and that is a way to cheat Death. I believe you are that ticket. As long as I keep you with me, then Death cannot do anything towards me without possibly harm you. If you wish, you can see yourself as a hostage in this situation," Voldemort told him with a smug smirk on his face, which Harry sort of wanted to punch off. Instead, he glanced to the side to where Ignotus had just appeared.

"Umm… any ideas?"

_"I have informed Lord Beli of the situation. He has agreed to stay away for your own safety but we will try to work out a way to get you out,"_ Ignotus told him before once again disappearing from the room to presumably talk to Lord Beli and hopefully make plans for his release.

"What, exactly, do you plan to do when you have to leave? Take me with you? You have to know that  _that_  won't save you from Death," Harry pointed out, only to get a smirk from Voldemort that made him highly nervous as to what the answer was.

"I have a plan for that, do not worry." Sadly, that just made Harry worry even more.

* * *

It was only the next day that Harry found out the plan that Voldemort had made for him should he have to leave. And Harry had to admit, if only to himself, the man was annoyingly intelligent and well read. Because apparently he had found a weakness to both gods and the dead that even Harry hadn't known.

Looking around the cell he was locked in in the dungeons, Harry sent a confused look to a smug looking Voldemort and then perked up a little upon seeing Ignotus and Antioch both standing just behind Voldemort. Though his confusion raised even more when neither spirit made an attempt to move nearer to him.

"Er… how come I don't feel so good and you're just staring at me?" Harry asked, looking just beyond Harry at the Peverell's standing behind him and trying to ignore the fact that he was feeling dizzy well beyond the 'I haven't been fed once again for too long' feeling. Which was just strange and uncomfortable. And that was along with the strange fever like sensation he was also feeling.

_"He's found out the one weakness that the gods have and has mixed it with the one weakness the dead have. Sadly, it seems that because you are only halfway in the world of the living, you are also affected by one of those weaknesses. I am not sure which one it is though."_  Ignotus informed him, just as Voldemort - clearly thinking Harry was talking to him - also gave him the answer.

"Curious thing really. I was reading some old books on mythology and the dead. A few things always came up, no matter what culture the book was from or when the book was written. So I thought I would give it a try and see if it works. You see, Death is either a deity or also dead. So I thought that at least one of them would work if not both. In fact, if it does work, I may decide to keep you down here indefinitely. And whilst I am still alive, then you will still be fed and watered. Sounds fair, don't you think?"

"You make me sound like a pet rabbit or something."

"Or something," Voldemort agreed with a sneer as he took in Harry's almost translucently pale complexion and slightly glazed look, before turning his back to him.

"So… want to tell me what it is that's making me feel like I died and came back. Something you should know about, right? What with what my brother did to you?" Harry said with a smirk, deciding that if he was going to die any way, he may as well go down in memory as the being that irritated Voldemort beyond any mortal means. And then some. And judging by some of the stories his sisters had told him about the few times Voldemort and his brother had crossed paths, Harry had some stiff competition from Charlus in that area.

Harry grinned shamelessly when Voldemort spun back around to sneer at him with a little more added venom, "I have put you in a cage made of salt encrusted iron and then wrapped mistletoe vines around each of the bars and also had a potion made that coated the iron bars. Either the mistletoe will help to keep away the god of death  _or_  the iron will keep away the lord of the dead. Whichever it may be, I feel assured that you will be left completely alone and judging by your reaction, I am satisfied in thinking that it worked."

"You know that by doing this you're just delaying the inevitable, right? My Lord doesn't especially like you anyway, what with that little issue with your soul, but  _this_?! This is just going to annoy him even more. What are you going to do when you no longer have a disgusting soul anchor and I can no longer be used as a shield between you and Him?" Harry asked, wondering if it was just him or was his voice a little huskier than normal. Really, what the hell was this demon cage made of?

"Perhaps. But given if this does work, your  _lord_  cannot collect you either, then I suppose we can suffer together. And by the way, should any of your irritating relatives - or mine -" he added with a sneer, "be listening in and present, then they can take a message back to your lord and tell him that should anyone try anything to release Peverell, you can be sure that I will irreparably harm him before help can come to him," Voldemort announced before he turned once more and this time left the draughty dungeon behind.

* * *

Ten days of sitting in the dungeon with only the occasional glass of water and a couple of crackers to sate his appetite and Harry was starting to wonder if he could indeed kill himself just for something to do. Of course, as luck would have it, just as he was contemplating that, the three stooges, otherwise known to Harry as Ignotus, Antioch and Cadmus, appeared on the other side of his cage

"Got any news?" Harry asked, voice increasingly scratchy as his fever started to take its toll on his body, made even easier by his lack of nutrients and enough to drink.

_"Our Lord is working with your allies to try and find a way out, though He has stated that you should also try to find a way out. Do you still carry the bones that the gods have given to you?"_ Antioch asked him, which just made Harry frown in confusion before he checked his belt for his bones pouch, even though he  _knew_  it was there because he never removed it unless he was using it. He supposed it was kind of like checking numerous times for your passport just as you're checking in. Amazing how you never trust yourself in those instances.

"I do, should I call Lord Amatheon? Will he be able to help with the mistletoe? Surely that will be one thing off the list unless it's just the iron thats causing all of this," Harry admitted woefully, casting a gimlet eye at the bars encasing him.

_"We already asked that. It'll do no good. The mistletoe affects him the same as the other gods. The iron is what is affecting you and the dead, but the mistletoe is keeping the gods away. It is quite extraordinary that that soul ripper came across the only two effective ways to keep you prisoner."_

"Alright, Ignotus, no need to start sounding impressed with the bloody idiot. So, if I can't call for Amatheon and all the other gods are out as well, then what, pray tell, good are the bloody bones?"

_"Eventually Voldemort will remove you from here. Have your bones ready for when he does. And if he doesn't, then have them ready for when either we find a way out for you or you get yourself out,"_ Antioch informed him, which just made Harry slump when he was already slouched sitting on the floor, fingers lightly brushing against the pouch forever tied to his belt.

"What if he doesn't?"

_"Then you need to find a way out of here or pray to the gods that they find a way to get you out, otherwise I fear that this war may not end favourably for you. You need to find a way out before the muggles decide there is no other option but to destroy what remains of these great nations,"_  Ignotus told him, wiping Harry of almost all remaining energy as he tried to ignore his ever more likely doomed fate.

"Well isn't that swell. Are they doing anything to at least delay the inevitable conclusion the muggles will come to? And how the hell haven't the wizards bloody noticed the mass exodus being made from this place?"

_"Since when have the wizards ever truly paid any attention to the muggles, even when it would actually be in their benefit to do so? They believe they are above those without magic and even though one of the factors of this war has been living with you and therefore should know better, your current place of residence would prove otherwise. Hopefully their arrogance will be their downfall and you will not be taken out along with them."_ Antioch said bitingly, his thoughts on wizards clear in his tone, which is ironic given he was one of the few necromancers who also  _had_  magic.

"What about Barty?"

_"Your chosen warrior of the gods is still working on a way to connect with and contact Ceridwen. We do not actually believe he is yet aware of your predicament. He wasn't there when you were brought before Voldemort and has been sent away on a mission since then. We think that Voldemort is aware of his closeness to you, though I doubt he listens or even believes of the rumours that had gone around about you. Nevertheless, we think he sent Barty away from you. Once he finally contacts Ceridwen, She will tell him of your fate and hopefully he will be able to help. Until then, try to find your own way out."_

"Cadmus, as ever, you continue to be a fountain of knowledge, wisdom and encouragement, really, you do. Don't believe a word your brothers tell you," Harry told the spirit dully, before sighing and turning away from the three on the other side of his cage. "You might as well go back and see if there's been any news. And tell Lord Beli not to come here. Who knows what a cocky dark lord that calls himself the flight from death would do should he find a way to actually  _trap_  Death. I would rather stick with my current fate than let that happen. Please."

_"We will tell Him that, though should He get it into His head that you are too at risk of being harmed beyond help, then there will be no force on earth that will be able to stop Him. He has claimed you as His son. You know what that means."_  Ignotus told him, which just made Harry blush.

"Right. Got it. What about Arawn and Amatheon?"

_"I imagine they will be right behind Lord Beli in coming to rescue their damsel in distress,"_  Cadmus muttered with a roll of his eyes.

"Okay… well, tell them all not to come here. I'll work something out. How long will they be able to hold off the muggles, do they know?"

_"Three months. They can guarantee you three months but cannot guarantee any longer than that. You probably have even less than that. Do not stay here too long if it can be helped. Try to think of anyway to get out of here. I see now that it was folly to tell you to go to the Dark Lord. We should have seen this coming. I am sorry I have led you into this,"_  Ignotus said mournfully, before he turned and disappeared from the dungeon.

"He's got to know this isn't his fault, right?"

_"He was the one that was told to teach you. We just decided to help along the way, but it was Ignotus from who's line your family came from. Our Lord told him to teach you and the lead you. He fears he led you into this path."_

"Yeah, but he didn't! And Lord Beli knows that! Annfwn, Lord Beli could have told me to get out of here several times but He didn't! No one really knew this was going to happen! You two need to go follow Ignotus and make sure he doesn't do something stupid like tell Lord Beli that everything was his fault!" Harry demanded, practically gnawing his lower lip off as he watched the remaining two spirits nod their heads at him and then leave without another word. Harry could only hope that they got there in time and that he found some way to get out of here.

* * *

"BELI!" The god in question sighed to himself as Amatheon and Arawn stormed into his previously peaceful rooms. Though he did silently question if it was the sign of the apocalypse that the two gods were seemingly in agreement with something. Even if that something was probably his evisceration.

"Amatheon, Arawn, please, take a seat," Beli said soothingly, waving towards two comfortable chairs that appeared in front of him. The two gods glared at him once again before they moved and took the chairs. "What brings you both here, bellowing my name?"

"We heard a strange rumour. And the even stranger thing about that rumour, is that it was seemingly  _kept_  from us for a good week!" Arawn practically snarled at him, whilst Amatheon twitched a little and a nasty looking vine moved to wrap around him arm.

Beli just sighed and rolled his eyes at the two, "I was the one to ensure you two did not hear the rumours. Though apparently I failed in that respect, given you both are now here demanding answers. So, tell me, what is the rumour you have heard?"

"You know the rumour! The upstart immortal wannabe Dark Lord has imprisoned  _our_  intended!  _Your_  son! Why are you not doing anything? Why were we not told sooner?!" Amatheon demanded, standing up and slamming his hands on the desk between themselves and Beli, and making the vines around his arms writhe and tighten in a visible display of his anger.

"Your intended? Really? So you are both willing to share now? Even though my son hasn't actually given either of you any sign that he is willing to either be with just one or even both of you?"

"That isn't important right now, Beli. Answer the question," Arawn said smoothly, placing a calming hand on Amatheon's arm until Amatheon moved to sit back down.

"None of us can get to him. And the spirits cannot get to him either. I am hopeful that Harry will work a way to get out himself, and then he can either call one of us to him or use his way to get into Annfwn. Other than that, I am at a loss as to how we can help. Unless Ceridwen's Warrior finally learns to contact her and then she can tell him to get Harry out somehow. However, sadly, in the grand scheme of things, Harry is not more important to the others than the Warrior keeping his place within the Death Eaters."

"What?! Are you kidding me? Harry went out of his way to name all of those ungrateful idiots and none of them can spare a bit of time to help him?!" Amatheon yelled, making both Beli and Arawn wonder just when the generally laid-back Green Man became the hot-headed one of the three of them.

"That is just the way of things. You know the others do not generally include us in things like this because our domains do not depend upon the humans believing in us. There will always be life and death, and with death, there will always be a need for somewhere for the dead to go. We are the outcasts. And because of that, my son is not seen as important."

"That just really goes to show how moronic the others are then. Given he is the only true believer any of them actually have," Arawn muttered with a blasé wave of his hand, before he straightened up and looked at Beli seriously, "I am assuming that we have a few extra names to add to the hunt, then?"

"Not at the moment. Unfortunately, the Dark Lord does have a good way of keep us away. He knows of our weakness to mistletoe and has quite rightly realised that we will do nothing to him so long as he has Harry locked away. We really can do nothing to help him right now. Our hands are tied, so to speak."

"So we just wait and hope he doesn't die?"

"Unfortunately, yes. Except, Harry is more a demi-mortal. He is somewhat harder to kill than usual. Not that he's immortal. Harry wouldn't really want that though were he to ask, I believe he would be the first person ever that I would grant it. However, that is neither here nor there. Right now we need to work out a plan of action for when Harry escapes. And he will. He's my son."

"I never knew Death was arrogant," Arawn drawled, rolling his eyes when Beli just grinned smugly at him and Amatheon sighed beside him.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N - This chapter… ugh. Seriously. I have been looking forward to this chapter since pretty much the first chapter. But actually writing it nearly killed me and I honestly can't say I'm all that proud of how it turned out. Plus I'm now thinking of hiding from all of your reviews as you all scream at me for doing this. So… yeah. BUT! But, please bear in mind that this is pretty much to only part of this entire fic that I had planned out.
> 
> So when/if you do review… please be nice? Please? Or at least give me a little bit of faith that I know what I'm doing (I probably don't, but we can all kid ourselves if we work together) and obviously, I won't leave Harry in this situation for long. 
> 
> Oh, and to everyone who reviewed about my health! Thank you and the results came back clear. Which, awesome but also 'what the fuck is wrong with me then'? Turns out I just needed to remind my immune system what the feck it should be doing by feeling like I'd overdosed on antibiotics and steroids. No joke. I actually worried for a while that I'd start to look like The Rock… Which my delightful best friend, when I complained to her about it, replied with 'couldn't you make the Rock work?' *snickers* 
> 
> Fact of the Chapter: There is no such thing as a merkin. Anymore at least. A merkin, by the way, is a pubic wig. You know, for porn stars who possibly got a bit too shave-happy. But not anymore. Yeah. Also, mini fact of the chapter, merkin is possibly in my top five favourite words. XD
> 
> Annoyed Author rant of the chapter: So lent this year is actually 47 days long! WTF?! Jesus only suffered for forty bloody days! Why do we have to suffer an extra seven freaking days?! Why?! Why do I have to forgo chocolate for seven extra days?! WHY?! 
> 
> Oh! Oh! Before I forget, I got a review pondering about what house Harry would have been in and just how much he would have messed up Hogwarts. And it got me thinking… how would everyone like if I wrote a mini what-if fic that answered that? Just a couple of chapters long about what would have happened in Harry had had magic. So yeah, what would you think? Yay or nay?


	25. Chapter Twenty-Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N - It amuses me to no end that no one guessed how Harry would get out. *grins*

Chapter Twenty-Four

Harry silently wished he'd made some more chalks to restock his supply as he sighed where he was sitting on the floor in his small prison, leaning against the wall. At least if he'd had some chalks on him he could draw. Or play noughts and crosses with one of the spirits when they came to visit him. Admittedly, they couldn't get too close to him but at least they could shout out where they would have wanted to put a nought or cross. Alas, he didn't make any chalks because he kept getting distracted by annoying gods who really had far too much time on their hands and now he was stuck in an annoying cage with nothing to amuse himself with.

Three weeks of having absolutely naff all to do whilst being fed the bare minimum to survive and also constantly feeling like he'd been drugged with some sort of energy sapping drug basically left him feeling somewhat homicidal and a lot less sympathetic to the cause of anyone.

The sound of footsteps echoing through the damp draughty dungeon leading from the steps leading out perked Harry's interest, more because Voldemort didn't normally make any noise when he came down to visit (or gloat). Harry hadn't actually seen anyone alive for the last week at least due to Voldemort claiming that Harry was too much of a nuisance to keep dragging to his office and thus had decided that he seemed just as safe from Death when Harry stayed in the dungeon as he did when Harry was near him.

He leant forward as close to the bars as he could without actually touching them and stared in shock. Barty was quickly walking towards his cell, which was somewhat surprising given the Peverell's had informed him that the other gods had decided to stay out of his situation as they had other issues to deal with; more surprising however was the fact that  _Marcus_  was with him. And neither one looked like they were being forced into the company of the other.

"Barty? Marcus? What are you two doing down here? Does Voldie-Boots know you're here? Aw, has he sent you both to take me to his office? Because I've got to say, I'd prefer to stay down here watching moss grow to be honest," Harry said with a grimace at the thought of having to sit in Voldemort's office for any amount of time. The two Death Eaters reached his cell and stood in front of him, both occasionally looking back at where they'd come from and making Harry realise they probably weren't there on Voldemort's orders. Or indeed given permission to be there.

"I came down here to let you know what I've heard. Flint followed me once he realised I might know where you were being held. I have no idea why he's actually here though," Barty said with a shrug that turned into a rather violent twitch. Marcus huffed and shot a withering glare at Barty before turning back to Harry, who was quite happily watching their interaction with great amusement.

"I have been feeling bad over how I have treated you recently. It was not your fault and I should not have take it out on you. When I didn't see you for a week, I started to get worried. I've been discreetly trying to find out what happened to you but our Lord has told no one about this. Finally, today, when I saw Barty, I realised he may have some idea as to where you were. Apparently I was right."

"Okay… and now you've found me? Also, what news, Barty? Lord Beli was told that your faction were staying out of this because they had other issues to deal with," Harry said, sounding just as confused as he was feeling. He really did wish that gods weren't quite so contrary.

"They told me the same. Sadly I can't do anything to risk my position. Flint even being here is technically risking that, though if my lord does get word of this, then I know who to kill in their sleep, don't I?" Barty said, grinning and licking his lips as he glanced at Flint out of the corner of his eyes.

"Okay… creepy murder intentions aside, if you can't help me why are you down here?"

"I just thought I should tell you that the muggles are closer to agreeing on when and where to bomb. There is no doubt now. They  _will_  bomb somewhere in Britain. Sadly, it looking more likely they will either bomb Hogwarts or Diagon Alley, given they are the best known places to the muggle leaders. Ceridwen did tell me, however, that on the side the gods are trying to think go someway to get you out. I'm of the opinion that it's because they don't want you to be killed and your Lord to blame them for it," Barty admitted with a shrug and a grin. Harry snickered at that and then turned back to Marcus, who was looking increasingly confused by the whole conversation.

"Are you willing to go against your Lord to help get me out of here, Marcus?" Harry asked, genuinely curious as to what Marcus' answer would be. Judging by the look Barty was sending Marcus, he was curious about the answer as well.

Marcus sent Barty a sharp look before scowling down at the ground, "How will I know Crouch won't rat me out should I agree to help?"

Harry grinned at them both and interrupted whatever snarky response Barty was going to give. "Gentlemen, what we have here is what muggles call a mutually beneficial agreement. Because basically, you both have dirt on the other that you don't want shared. Simply put, Marcus, Barty can't tell on you because you can just tell on him. You get me? So… will you help me, Marcus?"

"Fine. I'd help you if I knew how without anyone tracing it back to me, but these are Lord Voldemort's prison cells. They're not exactly the easiest things to get out of. In fact it's literally unheard of. None of my Lord's prisoners have ever broken free," Marcus pointed out uncomfortably, getting a small nod of agreement from Barty. Both Death Eaters stiffened however when Harry just grinned at them.

"No  _human_  has ever escaped. I'm not human. And don't worry, Marcus. You won't be implicated at all. If you really will help me, then all you have to do is get a way to send Draco Malfoy down here. I'll deal with the rest," Harry said with a smirk, which just made the two Death Eaters share a glance and then turn back to watch Harry warily.

"Draco Malfoy?"

"Yep. And Barty, let the gods know that they don't have to worry about me or my lord. I'll be out of here soon enough. How long do we have until the muggles show wizards just what they can do without magic?"

"No more than two months at the most. Do you need us to do anything else?"

"Nope. You two should probably leave though before you get caught. And Marcus, probably best if you send Draco down on a day when Voldemort has left the manor. Give me a bit more time to make me break for it."

"Of course. I'll send him down as soon as I can. Try not to annoy my Lord before then," Marcus added before he and Barty both promptly made their exit from the dungeon and left Harry alone once more. With a small sigh, Harry went back to his original position and started to count the cracks in the wall.

* * *

It only took Marcus two days to accomplish his part of the plan. A plan that admittedly, only Harry was really privy to. Still, two days after the visit from Barty and Marcus, Harry almost couldn't contain the cackle he wanted to let out when Draco Malfoy entered the dungeon in all his pompous bratty splendour and stood gloatingly in front of Harry's cell.

"Looks like you've finally been put in your place, filthy squib that you are," Draco said with a sneer as soon as he was in front of Harry, proving to Harry that inbreeding had detrimental affects on self preservation and intellect.

"Nice to see you too, Mini Malfoy. I'm glad to see you haven't grown a brain since our last meeting. Awfully brave of you coming down here alone, don't you think?" Harry asked in the same tone one would use when commenting on the weather. Inwardly he grinned when he saw Draco puff up like an angry cat and scowl at Harry.

"I'm not afraid of a disgusting squib like you. What can you do to me?" Draco said haughtily, puffing out his chest in some bizarre show of hierarchy. Probably anyway.

Harry just shot Draco an unimpressed stare before going back to playing with the piece of sapphire that he always carried in his pouch. With another quick glance at Draco, who was seemingly getting more and more annoyed with Harry's lack of reaction, Harry smirked and dragged the sharpest side of the stone across his thumb, not showing any reaction as he cut into his flesh.

"You thought you were so great, didn't you? Pretending to talk to the dead and lying to my lord. Well look at you now! Your lies have caught up with you and my lord is going to show you what happens to those that try to make a fool of him!" Draco exclaimed smugly, making Harry wonder just what the hell Marcus had told the idiot in order to get him down here.

Mentally shrugging, Harry decided he didn't actually need to know and carried on with his plan by quickly standing up and walking closer to the bars of his cell where Draco was standing.

"You know, I quite honestly believe that magic makes you all morons. I'm of the belief that it gets into your heads and saps you of all common sense. Either that, or its because you daddy screwed his cousin and single-handedly created the devolution of mankind with you," Harry said matter-of-factly, huffing a little inside when a flash of confusion passed Draco's face before he covered it up with an indignant glare.

"What would you know, squib?!" Draco spat back, not noticing that Harry had smeared as much blood over his hand as he could and was now inching ever closer to him.

"I wouldn't. I totally would have failed biology if I hadn't cheated. Still, we're all entitled to our opinion. Now, let me tell you why it's never a good idea to cross a necromancer who is in possession of a piece of your soul," Harry said pleasantly, before quick as a flash he grabbed Draco and dragged him against the bars, then pressed his bloodied hand to the struggling man's face.

"Wh-" Draco barely even registered what was happening before his face went slack and his eyes were completely vacant, leaning on the bars slightly and staring at Harry, who quickly prodded his thumb to reopen the slowly healing wound and smeared some more blood on the ruby veined bead in his hair.

"Draco, can you hear me? Are you listening to me, Draco?" Harry asked, unable to contain the smile of glee on his face when Draco stared at him with his vacant eyes and gave a slow nod in response to his question. "That's good. Draco, I need you to get me out of here and take me somewhere else, can you do that for me?"

Again, Draco nodded, this time however he took a step back and took out his wand, pointing it at the lock of the door and monotonously chanting out something - Harry assumed a spell of some sort - then with a quick sharp jab of his wand, the door to Harry's cell slowly swung open.

Harry gave a small smile at his victory before he quickly stepped out of the cell towards Draco and grabbed the wizard's wrist, dragging him towards the way out. He was well aware that Voldemort probably had something up that told him when the doors to the cells were opened without his permission. They really didn't have much time if any at all.

So without another word to Draco, he dragged him up the steps and listened at the door for a second before determining that there was no one else on the other side and hurrying out. The time Harry had spent freely wandering around Riddle Manor now paid off as he knew exactly where they needed to go in order to be able to apparate out of the manor. And luckily for him, it wasn't all that far from where they were.

Harry dragged the silently compliant Draco after him towards the smaller reception room, grinning when he realised that no one would suspect him of having a way out via magical means. His grin just growing even wider when his luck continued and the room was empty. Shoving Draco into the room, he followed behind him and closed the door before turning back to face Draco.

"Draco, I need you to apparate me to Devon. There's a cemetery in a small village there called Shebbear, here, let me show you where you need to take me," Harry said before stepping closer to Draco and looking straight into his eyes. With his still bloodied hand, Harry placed it on the obsidian bead on the right of his head and gave it a small tug before picturing where he wanted to go and forcing the image none too gently into Draco's mind. "Do you have it pictured?"

Getting another nod from Draco, Harry gave a small sigh that it worked and let go of the bead so that he could grab hold of Draco's wrist once more. He gave a nervous glance to the doors where he could hear panicked and angry shouting coming closer and then looked at Draco.

"Take me to Shebbear, Draco. Now." And with that demand, Draco gave a small half turn and apparated the two of them out of Riddle Manor and appearing hundreds of miles away in a small cemetery in Devon.

Seeing that his plan had worked, Harry let go of his hold on Draco, both physical and mental and smirked when Draco flinched away from him and shot him a fearful look.

"Don't bother thinking about telling anyone what happened, you won't be able to. Maybe now you'll learn not to piss off something you have no idea about. Something that is stronger than you are. See this as a lesson," Harry said, before punching Draco in the face and knocking the terrified wizard out. Harry then hissed and shook his hand, pulling it to his chest and hugging it in hopes to muffle the pain he was feeling somehow. "Son of bitch. What the hell is your face made of? Ow! They make it look so bloody easy in the movies! Ow! Ow! OW!"

Hopping slightly from foot to foot as he waved his abused hand, he soon calmed down and glanced at the downed Death Eater lying on the floor. Nibbling his lip and looking around him for anyone that might have witnessed all of that. Not that there was anyone hanging around an ancient cemetery in the middle of the night, but you could never be too sure. Harry then walked over and knelt down next to Draco and placed a hand on his chest.

"Just in case the lesson didn't sink in…" Harry muttered, then pushed his hand down and pulled back, dragging Draco's spirit out of his body. "Oh, this is so going to give me heartburn. Oh well, needs must." Harry then grabbed a handful of Draco's spiritual hair and yanked it out, uncaring of the abuse he was giving the young man and lifted the essence towards his face. When it was close enough, he then inhaled what was in his hands, unable to stop the giggle he let out as the energy coursed through him like he'd just injected coffee straight into his veins.

He quickly came back to his senses, no longer feeling like he'd been steamrolled, and shoved the remains of Draco's spirit back into his body. He felt a small twinge of guilt at the realisation that Draco would probably no longer be able to talk without a severe stammer, but shrugged it off with the thought of just what Draco would have done to him had he had the chance. With that, Harry stood back up and made his way in the dark to the gravestone he had used to name Amatheon.

Silently whining to himself that all he bloody well wanted was something to eat and then to sleep for a week, he knelt on the floor and pulled out his piece of sapphire as well as the bone Arawn had given him. Cutting into his hand once again, he covered his fingertips of the other hand with the blood and slowly started to draw runes Arawn had told him about onto the headstone, then pressed the bone into his bloody palm and pushed them against the runes.

Thankful that he'd had the hindsight to steal some energy from Draco because he felt that energy now being sapped once more in order to work the runes and open the gate, Harry managed to stay conscious just long enough to see it had worked before he shakily stood up and was able to take one step through the gate before passing out, luckily falling into Annfwn, the gate promptly closing up behind him and leaving no evidence that anything strange had happened there other than the unconscious Death Eater left behind.

* * *

No more than thirty minutes had passed since Harry had escaped into Annfwn, when Draco gave a whimpering groan and slowly came to consciousness. He painstakingly forced himself to stand, still not completely aware of his surroundings before giving a small turn and apparating to Riddle Manor.

Upon arriving, he avoided the panicked, scurrying lower Death Eaters who were running around like headless chickens, as though that would sooth their lord's anger and make the necromancer appear in front of them, and slowly shuffled his way to where he knew Voldemort would be.

When he got there, he slowly, painfully walked to stand before Voldemort, the Death Eaters in the room falling silent as he passed them, all following his shuffled steps with horror and confusion in their eyes, wondering what had happened to the Malfoy heir to make him look like an inferius.

"M-my L-lord," Draco stammered croakily, throat feeling dry and abused, like he'd been screaming non-stop for hours.

"Draco, where have you been? Did you not feel my summons!" Voldemort hissed, ignoring the fact that his death eater looked like he'd been mauled by an angry hippogriff in his anger.

"I-I d-don't know, m-my l-lord. I-it t-took m-me. I-it f-forced m-me," Draco forced out of his increasingly abused throat, flinching just at the thought of the necromancer.

"What did?"

"Th-th-the n-necromancer. I-it d-did s-something t-to control m-me. M-made m-me r-release it. M-made m-me f-feel cold. S-so cold. L-like I-I'll n-never b-be warm," Draco said, almost dreamily as he stared vacantly just over Voldemort's shoulder. Voldemort felt a shudder go down his spine before what Draco said fully penetrated his mind and then his unease was smothered by his sheer anger over it being one of his Death Eaters that had let the necromancer go.

"What?!  _Crucio!_ " Draco's abused throat stood no chance as he dropped to the floor like a marionette with its strings cut, screaming his throat raw until blood started to cover his lips. Voldemort held the curse on Draco for a few moments longer, before ending it and staring angrily at the rest of the Death Eaters gathered in front of him, absently noting that Draco had passed out and Lucius was trying not to let his worry and fear show as he glanced at his son on the floor.

"My lord! Why did you not kill the traitor?" Bellatrix asked, bloodthirsty eyes glancing at the unconscious body in front of home then turning back to Voldemort.

Voldemort just sneered at her for her foolish question, "given we have just lost our trump card, the last thing we need to do right now would be to invite Death into the manor. It would be a highly foolish thing indeed. Heed my warning now, no one is to kill anyone within these wards. Do not give Death the vengeance he most likely seeks quite so easily." And with that, Voldemort stepped over Draco's body and left the uneasy whisperings of his elite Death Eaters behind to plan just what he should do now that he had lost his bargaining chip.

* * *

Arawn frowned and stopped mid-sentence to one of the spirit guardians when he felt a tug at his mind and then sensed the doors of Annfwn being opened by someone that clearly wasn't him, nor one of his few gate-keepers.

"Stay here, I'll be back in a minute," Arawn told the guardian, getting a silent nod of agreement before he hurried towards the gate he had felt open. Upon arriving, he barely stopped himself from gaping at the sight of the unconscious, half-starved form of Harry lying on the floor. Quickly hurrying forward, Arawn knelt down and gently gathered the waif-thin body into his arms, scowling when he felt just how light Harry was, then smoothly stood up and stalked back to his personal castle within the under-realm.

He passed by the guardians at his doors, who gaped at him and his cargo, without a glance and didn't slow down or pause until he reached his unused bedroom and placed Harry carefully on the bed before covering him up and sighing as he straightened up and stared down at him. Now he just had to figure out what to do.

Deciding that the best course of action - and indeed the only course of action if he didn't want his existence wiped out - would be to heal Harry and let Beli know of this new turn of events, he swiftly left his room for the throne room. He would, unfortunately, also have to summon Amatheon as well, gods of death weren't all that great at healing s really the god of life was the only choice.

Inhaling deeply, he sighed before summoning the two gods to him, then waiting. Seconds later, Beli arrived from out of the shadows and glanced at Arawn curiously, just as Amatheon arrived seconds later, roots and vines growing at his feet before withering away to nothing in an instant.

"Why have you called us both, Arawn?" Beli asked with a confused frown and a glance to Amatheon, who just shrugged to show he also had no idea why they were there.

"There's been a turn of events and I knew you would need to know about it, Beli. As for you, Amatheon, I'll need you expertise. Follow me, I'll explain on the way," Arawn told them, walking passed them and out of the throne room. Beli and Amatheon shot each other another confused glance before quickly turing and following behind Arawn, through the halls of his castle.

"What is it you need to tell us?" Beli asked after it seemed Arawn wasn't actually going to tell them without prompting.

"Someone entered my realm earlier. It would seem that our little necromancer had an ace up his sleeve. I don't yet know how he did it, but he escaped and wisely made his way here. Unfortunately his treatment at the hands of that foolish wizard wasn't exactly stellar and the energy he needed to open my gates without my help was too much for him to stay conscious. I found him just inside the Southern Gate, unconscious on the floor. I have brought him to my private chambers but I cannot do much more to help him. That is why I called you here, Amatheon. We'll need your skill in healing to get him well again," Arawn told them, before glancing over his shoulder at them and coming to a stop before his doors.

"He's finally safe? Thank you for calling me, Arawn," Beli said earnestly, getting a nod from Arawn.

"He's in here. I have no idea what he did in order to get out but he looks like they starved him and probably deprived him from sleep. Hopefully they didn't do anything else to him, but that is bad enough. Come on," Arawn said, opening the door and leading them through the small sitting room into the bedroom, where Harry was still lying, unconscious, on the bed.

Beli scowled upon seeing the star of his son, and hurried forward to press a soothing hand on Harry's too hot forehead. "He's got a fever as well. That mortal will rue the day he decided to harm my son."

Amatheon frowned at the thought of Voldemort before moving to the other side of the bed that Beli was standing - knowing better than to move the god of death away from his claimed son - and pressing his own hand to Harry's chest. "He's over-exerted himself and his death energy. He's practically drained it in fact. Along with that, he has the beginnings of hypothermia forming and is severely malnourished. Luckily none of this should be too difficult to reverse. Though he'll be pretty weak for a few days and should stay in bed until he has fully restored his energy. Can you get food down here or shall I create some fruit for him to eat?"

"You had better create something for him. It would take too long for me to get him anything that wasn't meat, which I know he doesn't eat."

"Very well. Beli, do you have any idea what he did to cause such a drastic energy drain?" Amatheon asked, as he carefully sat on the bed and placed both hands over Harry's chest. They started to glow with a green light and the vines running down his arms writhed and grew even longer as he started to heal what he could.

"Some of the remaining energy that he has is not his. I don't know fully what he did, but I do know he tasted someone's spirit in order to get an energy boost. Clearly he knew he would need it in order to open the gates of Annfwn. There is also blood on the ruby bead I gave him, meaning he needed courage for something and help staying grounded, as well as blood on the right obsidian bead, meaning either he needed to divine something or he forced his will on another. More likely the latter given the energy transfer. That is all I am able to work out, however. I may have created him and gifted him those beads, but I do not control how he uses them. We will just need to wait until he wakes to find out what he actually did in order to escape. Whatever he did though, I am very proud of him. He's truly starting to come into his powers and fully earn his title."

Arawn made a chair appear next to the one Beli was sitting on and moved to sit in it, glancing at the deceptively frail body lying in this bed, and inwardly smirking at the havoc his necromancer probably caused. "He's quite inventive, so I really do look forward to hearing how he did it. What should we do about Voldemort now that he is not using Horatio as a shield?"

"I'm all for throttling him with poison ivy, personally," Amatheon suggested calmly, not looking up from where he was concentrating on where his hands were pressed on Harry's chest.

"Much as I would like to agree with you there, unfortunately and as much as it pains me to say it, Voldemort needs to stay alive until the conclusion of this war. If we take him out, then there will be no one else strong enough to face Dumbledore. You know the others will not allow us to kill Voldemort until they no longer have a use for him," Beli grumbled angrily, furious that the one who had caused such damage to his child would be allowed to go unpunished for the time being. Going by the angry scowl on Arawn's face, the other god agreed with him.

"I suppose that just means we'll have more time to properly plan his punishment, and the punishment of all those who have made his life even slightly uncomfortable. None of this would have happened, after all, if wizards hadn't become greedy and envious of that which they couldn't use."

Beli nodded in agreement to Beli's words and a malicious smile formed as he thought about just what he would do to Voldemort when they finally got the chance.

"On the bright side, Harry is now out of the clutches of the wizards. And perhaps we will be able to start our vengeance plan a little early. Teach the mortals not to mess with those chosen by the gods. Not to mess with the chosen son of Death," Amatheon pointed out with a wicked grin, still not taking his eyes off of Harry, though the glow of his hands was dimming slightly and Harry was starting to look healthier.

"You have an excellent point, brother. And I think I know just how to start the torment. Tell me, Arawn, are the cwn annfwn ready for a small hunt? I believe there are a couple of wizards out there who aren't big players in this petty war and won't be missed at all should they mysteriously disappear."

"Beli, I like how you think. And my pets are itching for a hunt. It has been so long since the last one, after all."

Were anyone to enter the room of the three gods then, they would be terrified at the looks on all three's faces as they thought of the havoc they would soon be realising upon the wizards. And within the realm of the living, every magical being living in Britain suddenly had a feeling of foreboding wash over them, instincts long since suppressed surging up inside, screaming at them to flee, run while they still had the chance.

* * *

Harry woke up feeling strangely comfortable and well-rested, making him immediately wonder what was going on and why he was no longer in his less-than comfortable cell. Without opening his eyes and trying not to give away that he was awake just in case someone was watching him, he listened to his surroundings and tried to remember what had happened to him before he'd either passed out or fallen asleep.

He was just about to give up and open his eyes to see if that gave him any idea as to where he was when his memories of his escape from Riddle Manor hit him and he sat up suddenly with a gasp, looking around the room he was in in confusion. He'd never been in a room like it before, with its floor that looked like it was made out of white marble and the black walls. It really didn't clear up much of his confusion at all, though if his plan worked, then he knew he was at least safe.

Harry dragged himself away from his observations of the room he was in when the door to his right was opened, and all tension left his body when Arawn walked in, soon followed by both Amatheon and Beli.

"So it worked then?" Harry asked in a quiet voice, a little stunned when it didn't hurt to speak. In fact, he didn't feel dehydrated or weak from lack of food at all, telling him that he must have been healed as well. Which would explain the presence of Amatheon.

"If your plan was to get yourself to Annfwn, then yes, it worked. Could you tell us how you got out? I was able to make some guesses but that is all I could do," Beli said, walking over to one of the chairs by the bed and sitting in it. The other two gods followed his example and sat in the remaining two seats.

"First, how long was I unconscious for?"

"Only about two days. We've been keeping an eye on the wizards but not an awful lot has happened. Voldemort has no idea where you are and has decided that it would be in his best interests not to kill anyone any time soon. Annoying as he is, I've begrudgingly got to admit that he's irritatingly intelligent. Not that it'll save him in the long run though," Arawn admitted with a wicked grin that made Harry decide he really didn't want to know what the god was thinking.

"Huh. Okay then. And basically, I remembered about the piece of spirit essence I stole from Malfoy junior. If I'd remembered sooner, I probably would have been able to escape earlier," Harry admitted with a sheepish grin and a shrug.

"We need to work on your memory, it would seem. Now, Amatheon has declared that you will need bed rest for at least a week, in order to get your energy back, and Arawn - unsurprisingly - has eagerly - too eagerly perhaps - agreed to keep you here for the time being. During that time, I'll be working with you to prepare you for the job you'll have now that you are free from nosy wizards. Arawn and Amatheon have also agreed to teach you a few tricks. Hopefully, by the time you're back on your feet, you'll be prepared for anything the wizards may throw at you," Beli told him, throwing the occasional unimpressed glance at both the gods to his side, much to Harry's confusion. Then what Beli had told him registered in his mind and he gaped at his Lord in stunned disbelief.

"You're going to teach me?! M-my Lord! Surely you're too busy! I don't want to be a bother!" Harry exclaimed, not noticing the eye roll of Arawn and Amatheon's slightly jealous glare aimed at Beli's back. Really, that amount of hero worship wasn't normal - well, when not aimed at him that is.

"I assure you, I'm not too busy. Never am when it comes to you, my little necromancer. Now, enough arguing. You're still recovering right now, even though Amatheon healed you of any physical ails. You need to get more sleep. We'll come back later to check on you and decide what we need to teach you," Beli told him, leaving no room for argument and standing up just incase Harry decided to argue anyway. Not that he would have. Really, who would argue with Lord Beli?

With a small, inaudible sigh, Harry shuffled back under the covers and lay back down in the bed, watching the three gods leave, Beli seemingly refusing to leave before either of the other two left the room. When they'd walked out, Harry smiled at Beli when he paused at the door and glanced back at him, giving him a small nod then closing the door behind him. Harry shuffled a little to get comfortable and yawned, wondering just what the god of life could teach a necromancer and looking forward to finding out. He honestly wondered just how he would be able to fall asleep given what he'd been told, but it didn't take him all that long after the three gods had left him to fall back to a more natural sleep this time.

* * *

Dumbledore frowned when Minerva hurried into his office without actually running, and moving to stand in front of his desk, breathing heavily and trying to catch her breath even as Dumbledore sent her an enquiring look.

"Is everything alright, Minerva?" He asked, really hoping that she wasn't coming to him with any bad news. The war hadn't been going well for the light side ever since they'd been abandoned by their saviour and had progressively gotten worse after the unfortunate death of Lily Potter. It was almost as though they been cursed, though he was sure that wasn't the case as who would do such a thing?

The only thing currently going in his favour was that James, Sirius and Remus believed him when he told them that Lily had been captured by Voldemort. It had just made the three even more eager to get their revenge on the Death Eaters. Actually, possibly a little too eager. They were starting to become wild cards and he had no idea how long he'd be able to control them.

"Albus, you need to come with me. The centaur herd is in the entrance hall, they need to talk to you urgently," Minerva told him. Confused and wondering just what the centaurs would need to tell him considering they had quite firmly told him that they would not join in a war. In fact they really had gotten the message across quite clearly as well as ruining one of his best hats.

Stifling a sigh, Dumbledore decided to get it over with and followed Minerva to where she'd left the centaurs. And apparently she hadn't been exaggerating when she'd said the entire herd was there. How they'd managed to fit was beyond him. He was only silently thankful that there were no longer as many students left as there had been. Unsurprisingly, the children of Death Eaters and sympathisers had slowly been withdrawn over the years, more surprising however, had be the slow trickle of muggleborns being withdrawn over the last few months. Now there were hardly any left at all and in fact the school board and ministry were all considering closing the school early, and just letting the fifth and seventh years come into the ministry to take their exams. Hopefully once they've dealt with Voldemort, they would be able to get the school back to how it should be.

Pushing those thoughts aside for the time being, Dumbledore placed a kind smile on his face and stepped forward, getting the immediate attention of the leader of the herd.

"Headmaster Dumbledore," the centaur said with forced politeness, which Dumbledore ignored and just smiled in response.

"My deputy head tells me that you needed to speak to me. Is there something wrong? Did a student make their way into the forest again?"

"No, Headmaster. We're here to warn you. It would be in your best interests to stay in the castle and probably send the children home. If you have to leave, by no means go near the forest. The wizards of this country have messed with powers far beyond their imagination. You have all brought the wrath of the gods of nature down upon you. You'll find no safety where nature grows. Be warned, Dumbledore, for nature is against you and the stars are telling that soon the hunt will be started once more. Mars shines down upon wizards, and it isn't looking t be in your favour," and with that ominous warning, the herd of centaurs turned and left the castle, leaving silence and confusion behind them. Albus honestly had no idea what to do with that except realising the school had no choice but to close now.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N - Hope you enjoyed the chapter! I actually enjoyed writing this one! Heh! Things are starting to move along now! And in the next chapter you'll learn of a few more things that necromancers used to do. Also, this isn't the end of the plant life showing the anger of Amatheon. 
> 
> Actually, after this chapter, theres only seven left. I'm a little sad about that. Though lets not mourn too early. I haven't wrote them yet. *Snort* 
> 
> Quite a lot of you seemed open to the idea of a spin off of this, where Harry has magic. So that should be quite amusing. *Snickers* I've started writing it and when I post it, it'll be called I Am Not To Be Denied… probably. It won't be long! Just a few chapters… 
> 
> So, anyways, review and let me know what you thought of the chapter! I'm ever amused by the theories some of you come up with (the more outlandish, the better, tbh)! 
> 
> Fact of the Chapter: In honour of the fact I've just celebrated my birthday, we're going back to Shakespeare with this one and discussing his birthday. Because the one fact that most people seem to know about Shakespeare in't actually a fact. It's generally believed, for some reason, that Shakespeare died on his birthday. The truth is though, no one knows. No one knows when he was born though it is thought to have been in April some time. There's no actual date though because in those days records didn't note down someones actual date of birth. Just which quarter someone was born in. Honestly, I've no idea why people started thinking he died on his birthday. Maybe he did, but there's no actual way of knowing for sure.


End file.
